


A Madness Shared By Two

by she_whomustnotbenamed



Category: The X-Files RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2018-12-25 01:32:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 65,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12025284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/she_whomustnotbenamed/pseuds/she_whomustnotbenamed
Summary: At the end of her 9 year run on The X-Files, a desperate Gillian flees Los Angeles. Hell bent on never seeing David again, she puts him and Hollywood behind her. Fate has its own agenda, however, and a chance encounter at a party one year later derails her plans.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> AU fic. As you'll see...though real life events (X-FILES!) from 1993-2002 still happened.
> 
> This is a complete work of fiction. Aka, don't sue me.

2003

The chic Santa Monica nightclub was dark, smoky, and loud. Music blasted out of the speakers and pounded into his chest. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. Nothing about the boring party was pleasant. Scanning the room, the handsome actor took a sip of his drink. His fingers danced across the glass, itching for more. His lips obliged, until the amber liquid was gone. Like magic, another drink replaced the first. That’s how it worked at an industry party. Hollywood was a town full of enablers, but David didn’t care. Getting drunk meant that he could ignore the utter train wreck that his personal life had become…and if he could do it for free, even better.

In two quick gulps, he downed his drink and then sat the empty glass on a high top table as his brother came to stand beside him. “Is it me, or did they only invite the ugly chicks?” 

David’s lips curled up in amusement. “Leave it to you to cut right to the chase.”

“I just tell it how it is.” Daniel wasn’t drinking, but David knew it wouldn’t last long. It was hard to survive a dull agency party while sober. 

“Ten more minutes and then we can bail,” David insisted.

“So soon?” 

The older man’s sarcastic question made him laugh. “Hey, I promised the agency that I would make an appearance.”

They soon fell into a comfortable silence. David was distracted by the scantily clad dancers and Daniel was busy scanning the room. It was his low whistle that got David’s attention, “Looks like trouble just walked in.”

His curiosity peaked, David followed his brother’s gaze to the entrance. At first he saw no one familiar. There were too many people blocking the doorway. “Who?” The word was barely off his tongue when the sea of people parted and he caught sight of her. “Oh…” Stunned, he eyed up her petite frame and approved of what he saw.

She was heavier than he remembered, but in a good way. Her short, flowery cocktail dress hugged her curves and showed off her cleavage. Her hair was more brown than red and long…longer than he had ever seen it. She had very little makeup on. If he didn’t know her, if he hadn’t committed every inch of her body to memory… he wouldn’t even recognize her.

“I take it back, guess they did invite some hot chicks.” Daniel glanced towards David and shook his head when he noticed that his younger brother was mesmerized. “I’d call dibs, but I guess you’ve got a lifetime tab on that ass?”

“Damn right,” David deadpanned. He suddenly felt overwhelmed with possessive feelings. Never taking his eyes off of her, he watched as she scanned the room. As if drawn by magic, it took only seconds for her gaze to meet his. Several emotions passed over her expressive blue eyes before she smirked and made her way over. 

With a chuckle, Daniel mumbled, “Guess I’ll be hitching my own ride home...” 

Barely listening, David pulled out his keys, “Here, take my car.” Getting home was the least of his concerns. 

Within seconds, she was standing beside them. “Danny,” she greeted, with a genuine smile.

“Gillian. Look at you. You’re the hottest thing in this place.” He kissed her across the cheek and wrapped his arms around her. When they parted ways he realized that her attention had turned to his brother, so he stepped away with a low whistle. 

David’s body worked before his mind could as his arms slipped around her. The sweet, familiar smell of her hair and perfume brought back instant memories. It had been about a year since they had last seen each other, but they kissed briefly across the lips as if no time had passed.

“What are you doing here?” she wondered out loud. They pulled away, but their arms were still possessively around each other. The position acted as a barrier from the rest of the room.

She was intoxicating. Her eyes, her laugh, her voice. Nothing had changed in that regard. Agreeing to go their separate ways at the end of the show had done nothing to erase his feelings for her. “Me?” came his confused response. “This is my agency. What about you? Aren’t you supposed to be in New York?”

Gillian giggled. “I moved across the country… not across the world.”

“Same difference,” his monotone voice teased. The loud room forced them to practically stand on top of each other to be heard, at least, that’s what he told himself as he pulled her body closer to his.

They made small talk, but it was a game, one that they were too good at. Small talk was just an excuse for their hands to wander all over each other. “How’s Tea? And the kids? Congratulations on the baby, by the way… he must be what, a year now?”

“Something like that,” he mumbled into her ear. He wanted to tell her that he had left Tea months ago. He wanted to tell her that the baby wasn’t his. He wanted to tell her that his life was a complete mess…and yet, he didn’t say any of those things. Instead, he took the easy way out. “How’s New York? I heard the Speed of Light was a great movie. I meant to see it, but I lost track of time…”

“It’s fine…” She, too, was guilty of taking the easy way out. She could have told him about her latest failed relationship, or about the rocky relationship she currently had with her daughter, or about the play that fell through at the last minute, but talking was the furthest thing from her mind, “You know, I have a hotel room next door…”

He feigned shock. “Is that so?” His hands moved down to her ass.

“We could get out of here, if you want.” Her suggestive tone left no question as to her motives.

“How long are you in town for?”

“Just tonight,” she responded, with an impish grin.

“Well….then we better make the most of it.”

“We better.” They separated just long enough to make it out of the club and then their bodies found each other again as they escaped into the night.

2009

It had been several years since her move to New York, yet Gillian still had trouble adjusting to the bitter East Coast winters. The damp air made her bones ache and the below zero temperatures made her skin crack and peel. Though the heat was blasting inside the crowded Starbucks, she pulled her old black jacket more tightly around her to fight off the chill.

No one paid any attention to her as she placed her order and then waited towards the other end of the counter. Long gone were the days when she would be followed around by eager fans and photographers, as she rarely got recognized these days. In just 6 years she had gone from being on the cusp of Hollywood royalty to being an ordinary woman just waiting in line for a cup of coffee.

She was so accustomed to her life of anonymity, that she didn’t respond when a male voice called her name. When she heard her name again, she turned around to find David standing there. It took her several seconds to realize who she was looking at.

“Hey stranger!” came his enthusiastic greeting. He hugged her before she could make sense of his presence.

When he released her, she managed to mumble out a complete sentence, “Sorry, I didn’t hear you…” she looked up and down his tall frame before continuing, “ummm…what are you doing here?” Feeling extremely flustered, she crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

“I live here now.” He couldn’t keep himself from smiling. Seeing her again just felt right. “Well, not yet. We’re here looking at apartments. And schools.” He motioned towards a child, but all Gillian could see was a head of dirty blond hair. “West, I know you don’t remember, but this is Gillian. We used to work together.” The child turned to face her and Gillian had a hard time keeping her expression neutral. David’s daughter was his spitting image. She was the spitting image of someone else, too, but she shoved that thought out of her mind and quickly recovered.

“Oh my god…how old is she now?” she asked him, but it was the girl who answered.

“I’ll be 10.”

“Westy...I haven’t seen you since you were this big.” Gillian uncrossed her arms so that she could motion to the floor. Instantly charmed by her, West’s lips curved into a toothy grin. The feeling of familiarity struck Gillian again and this time, she felt it deep into her chest.

“Can I get hot chocolate? With whipped cream?” West begged her father. “Please?”

Ignoring Gillian momentarily, David smiled down at her and handed her some money. “Why don’t you order it and pay for it.” The 9 year old’s eyes widened in excitement. She snatched the money out of his and walked away before he could say anything else. Once he saw that she had safely made it to the counter, he turned his attention back towards Gillian. “Kids are a lot more independent here…well, I’m sure you know that with Piper and all. I’m trying to get her used to it.”

She was too busy watching West to listen to him. When he realized that he didn’t have her attention, he glanced towards the counter and then gently waved his hand in front of her face. “Earth to Gillian.” When her eyes snapped back to his, he smiled, “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“No.” She hid her discomfort by chuckling, “I’m sorry.” With a shake of her head she attempted to get herself together. “I’m just so surprised to see you.”

“Ditto.”

Not knowing how to respond, she looked around the shop,“Is Tea with you?” In reality, she didn’t give a damn about his wife, but she was afraid of what she would let slip out if she didn’t fill the silence up with awkward small talk.

“Oh, uh no...” David stuttered as he glanced down at his shoes,“We divorced a couple years ago.” Gillian was unable to hide her shock and he sheepishly chuckled. “I thought you would have heard it on the news or something…” Their paternity issues, rocky separation, and then eventual divorce had been breaking news for a while. He was surprised that she didn’t hear about it.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she politely said. It was a lie, but what else could she say? “I don’t keep up with entertainment news…and the past few years have been pretty crazy…”

David shrugged it off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s old news. How are you? It’s been too long…” Their eyes met with a knowing twinkle as they both remembered their last encounter. That night after the party seemed like a lifetime ago now.

“I’m fine. Busy. I actually just did the whole apartment thing up here, too, I was in Brooklyn before.”

He wasn’t at all surprised that she made a home in Brooklyn. He still felt like he knew her well, even after so much time had passed. “Oh, so now you’re a posh Eastside girl, huh? I’m checking some things out…but I’m thinking the Westside is more my speed.”

It was so easy to talk to him. So familiar and comforting. She quickly grew lost in his hazel eyes. A warm feeling spread over her. She let out a chuckle. “Well, I’m more of a ‘find a place as close to the school as possible so I don’t have to take a cab for pick up and drop off’ girl.” It wasn’t until his forehead creased into lines of confusion that she realized her mistake. Dread quickly spread over her.

“Piper’s what, 14? Don’t tell me you won’t let her walk alone….” He was teasing her, but she wasn’t laughing. In fact, her face grew white. Afraid that he had offended her, he tried to remedy the situation, but then her drink was called and they were both shaken out of it.

“I better get going….I have a meeting to get to.” Her hands were shaking. She kept them firmly around her coffee cup in the hopes that he wouldn’t notice. She was no longer cold. In fact, she desperately needed to strip off her jacket so that the fresh air would calm her anxious nerves.

Noticeably disappointed, David nodded in understanding. “We should get together sometime. We can catch up. Maybe dinner or something…”

“Sure, that would be great,” Gillian responded. Her mind was already working on auto pilot. Being around him was dangerous. She had to get away as soon as possible. She didn’t bother to look graceful as she practically fled out of the shop. If she would have turned around, she would have seen the crestfallen look across his face.  
__________

Two weeks later, David drummed his fingers against a long table in boredom. Around him, the first table read for an ABC pilot carried on, but he was barely paying attention. Though his character would play a large role if the show got picked up, his part in the pilot was miniscule. He didn’t feel his presence was necessary, at all, but didn’t want to make a bad impression on the first day. The hum drum around him was suddenly interrupted when the door opened. All eyes turned and David’s stomach dropped as Gillian stepped into the room.

“Sorry,” came her sheepish whisper. “I got here as soon as I could.” Embarrassed, she greeted only the female creator before quietly finding a seat at the far end of the table.

“Everyone, meet our new ‘Cassidy Kingsley,’” the creator said, before returning to her script.

David was sure his face was colorless as he watched his cast members regard Gillian with curiosity. He willed her to look at him, but she kept her gaze firmly on the paper in front of her. He was relieved that his character barely had any lines, because he couldn’t keep his attention off of her.

Time seemed to drag on and on. Eventually the table read ended and everyone fled out of the room one by one. Gillian stayed back to talk to the creator and David was right there waiting in the hall for her when she finished. “Congratulations, you win the award for the hottest woman to ever stalk me,” came his monotone statement. Her features didn’t register any shock, which told him that she knew he would be waiting.

“I’m not sure if that’s a compliment…I’ve seen the women who stalk you…” Her feisty come back made him smirk. They weren’t alone in the hallway, so he took hold of her arm and ushered her into an unused corner.

“I have to admit…seeing you walk through that door was a surprise,” he said, as his teeth grazed over his bottom lip. His eyes couldn’t help but scan her body, and he liked what he saw. She was dressed in simple flared blue jeans and a turtle neck sweater. Nothing about her screamed celebrity.

Watching his mouth, her tongue unconsciously poked out to wet her own lips. When he caught her staring, she quickly averted her eyes to the floor. “I’m sorry…it all happened so fast. The other actress bailed and my agent called me this morning and offered me the part…I didn’t even know that you were involved.”

“Hey, what are you sorry for?” His hand went to her shoulder and they both tried to ignore the electricity that shot through them. “This is great. It’ll be just like old times…except, you know, without the hair frizzing. New York is good for that.” They were both extremely aware of how close their bodies were, but neither made any move to correct it.

“I just…um…” It was hard for her to put together a coherent sentence. His presence had flustered her once again, and she wanted to kick herself for it. “I know that we haven’t worked together in a while.”

“Over 6 years, but who’s counting?” His humor made her smile. “Things will be different this time,” insisted David. “I’m sure of it.” His tone was pleasant and optimistic. 

Seeing him so wistful and happy made her stomach churn with guilt and anxiety. Things would certainly be different, but how could she even begin to explain that to him? “Shooting starts next week…maybe we can grab lunch or something.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Immediately, she regretted it and was about to take it back, but his eyes were already lit up in excitement.

“That would be great. We can catch up.” He was overly enthusiastic. Seeing her again was like a drug. He wanted more. The sooner the better. Eventually their bodies grew even closer and he lightly kissed her cheek before dropping his hand. “I have to go get West…but I’ll see you soon.”

Gillian made sure that he was gone before she practically fell back against the wall with a groan. Fuck, fuck, fuck, her mind chanted. What had she done? She had made the decision to do the show on a whim. She needed a job. She needed money. She figured it would be an easy paycheck. She would film her required days and then forget about it. Her ex-lover and co-star had not been part of the plan.

The vibration of her phone pulled her out of her panicked spiral. It was her mother. She would have to rush home if she were going to make it there in time to relieve her. Taking a few calming breaths, she shoved David from her mind. ‘No way this shit will get picked up,’ she mumbled to herself. It was more of a prayer, than a statement.  
__________

Filming went by quickly and they were rarely on set at the same time. Gillian thought that she had dodged a huge bullet, but then David had taken her up on her offer to get together, and she once again was pulled into panic mode.

They sat in a crowded Brooklyn restaurant. The show filmed nearby and it was an easy place to escape to. At first they had plenty of superficial co-worker things to talk about, but once those topics ran out, they were blanketed in a heavy silence. They weren’t accustomed to feeling so awkward around each other, but time and distance had a way of doing that to even the closest of people.

Sipping from his wine glass, David let out a self deprecating laugh. “I’m sure we’ll be talked about for coming here instead of the wrap party.”

Gillian rolled her eyes. “Fuck that. Those parties are the worst.”

“Not like we would know…” he leered. “If I remember correctly, you and I used to bail early quite often.”

A mischievous grin spread across her lips as she remembered their numerous sexual encounters. “We were so young and stupid,” she chided, but her giggle told him that she wasn’t all that upset about it.

“We were…but we had a good time, didn’t we?”

When she met his eyes, she realized that their light hearted conversation had suddenly turned serious. “We did.” Her words were barely audible. She sipped at her water to escape his intense stare.

“You don’t drink anymore?” His question sounded more like a statement.

Gillian nodded in agreement. “I gave it up a few years back.” 

She eyed up his wine glass and he answered her silent question. “I just have some wine from time to time. I kicked the hard stuff. It’s bad for the complexion.”

She had forgotten how funny he could be. His sense of humor had always been one of her favorite things about him. Once they had placed their orders, curiosity got the best of her, and she asked about Tea. A part of her didn’t want to know, but the other part was desperate to know.

“Oh god…where do I even start?” There was a hint of bitterness to his tone that she didn’t miss. “Well, a couple of months after you moved…I found out that the baby wasn’t mine.” Gillian almost choked on her water and he laughed. “Tell me about it. It was a shock to say the least.”

Feeling terrible for him, she frowned. “I’m so sorry…”

“It’s okay,” David shrugged out of habit. “I mean, no, it wasn’t at the time. But, I’m okay now. It was for the best. We separated after that and she moved in with the real baby dad.”

She wanted to laugh at his use of the term ‘baby dad’ but knew the topic was too serious for that. “Jesus…” Feeling like her world had been turned upside down, she tried to figure out what to say next, but nothing would come to her. Finally, she asked, “What about the baby?”

Sadness crept into his eyes before he quickly recovered. “Tea wouldn’t let me see him after that. He wasn’t mine…so I get it…but I was there when he was born. I helped name him…one minute I had a son…and the next minute…he was gone. It was hard, you know?”

His words made her feel nauseous. She was sure that tears would spring to her eyes if she kept looking at him, so she focused on the room around them. Noticing that he had upset her, but unsure why, he cleared his throat. “Anyway, long story short…Tea pretty much left me to care for West. She’s got her son and her new boyfriend, who’s not the same as the baby dad, of course.” It was impossible for him to keep his anger from showing. “I have full custody…and when I got this show here, I jumped at the chance. I figured that it could be a fresh start for her…and for me.”

Guilt was slicing through her chest like shards of glass, but she managed a smile anyway. “I never pictured you as a single dad before.” It was clear that she was impressed. “It looks good on you.”

Unable to handle her compliment, he lowered his gaze and changed the subject, “So, that’s my story. What’s yours? What have you been doing these past few years? What brings you back to TV land? How’s Piper?”

She knew his questions were coming, but she still wasn’t prepared. She had been over and over the scenario a million times, but she still had no idea what to say...or if she should even say it. Chickening out, she opted for the safe route, she described how she had stayed off the Hollywood radar and stuck to theater and some producing. She opted to make the leap back to TV for the money, mostly, and for the chance to get back into the business. It was harder to tell him about Piper.

“She still lives in Vancouver…with her dad.” It wasn’t an easy subject to talk about. How do you explain that you were a total failure as a mother? “She uh….well…she has a lot of anger…towards me. You know…things weren’t easy in LA.” Without warning, his hand moved across the table and rested on top of hers. She focused her eyes on their joint hands so she wouldn’t have to look at him. “I made a lot of mistakes, with her…she’s pretty bitter about it...not that I can blame her.”

“You did the best you could,” he whispered. “The situation we were in….it was impossible.” He emphasized the word ‘we,’ he still felt immense guilt over how things played out during their volatile relationship. 

Not believing him, Gillian shook her head. “It’s no excuse. I get her on holidays and schools breaks…but that’s only because the court forces it. I don’t think that she would come on her own.”

“No teenager wants to see their parents,” he argued. 

Gillian had spent the past several years hating herself, there was nothing he could say that would make her feel good about that situation. “I’m just trying not to keep making the same mistakes…you know?” Again, she realized that she had said too much. His head tilted to the side and she could practically see the wheels in his mind turning. Luckily, she was saved when the food arrived. 

They were able to make small talk during their meal and then after, showing off his chivalry, David paid their bill, which lead to a series of jokes from him and giggles from her. It didn’t take long for their conversation to turn serious once again. “You know…maybe my memory is foggy from old age…but I’m not really sure why we ended things…” came his shy statement. His hand was on hers again, and at some point, he had moved so that his body was leaning across the table.

“You were married, for one,” she immediately quipped. “And…you were about to have another baby…”

David heaved a bitter laugh. “I was such a blind moron.”

“You didn’t know.”

“Still. Our marriage was over for a long time. I should have just left her.” Lately, he had been driving himself crazy with the idea that him and Gillian might have had a real chance had he known that the baby wasn’t his. Maybe she would have stayed in LA. Maybe he would have moved to New York. Maybe…they would be married…with kids of their own.

Her soft reply came after she squeezed his hand. “It’s not your fault. I think we both needed to end the cycle.” Her hand squeezed his in comfort. Breaking up had been a mutual decision. It was safer. It was responsible. It was the right thing to do.

David couldn’t stop his mind from spinning. “Yeah but, imagine if things had been different? Imagine us raising kids…growing old together….watching our grandchildren grow up. Don’t you ever wonder?”

Gillian was thrown off by how open he was being. The man she had known held everything in. He wasn’t one for meaningful discussions about his feelings. He had changed, he had grown up, and that realization hit her hard.

Feeling suddenly like she would burst into tears, she took a deep breath. If he could be so open, then she could too. “There’s actually something we need to talk about…um…something you should know…” Before she could say anything else, his phone rang and their moment was broken.

“Hold that thought, it’s West…” With shaky breaths she listened as he calmed down his hysterical daughter. Eventually, he ended the call and then sighed. “I’m sorry...she’s at her first sleepover and she wants to come home...I’ve gotta go get her.” 

Disappointed, yet also relieved, Gillian waved her hand. “Go,” she insisted. 

David slipped his coat on and regarded her with a grateful smile. He wasn’t sure what he should do, so he awkwardly kissed her and then said goodbye. “If the show gets picked up, this can be our place.” 

Unsure if he was kidding or not, she chuckled. “This shitty pilot will never get picked up.” 

“That’s what you said last time,” he teased, and then before she knew it, he was gone. Watching him hail a cab, she sighed. After LA, they had gone on to live separate lives...far away from each other...and she wasn’t sure how to wrap her mind around the sudden change. 

Two Months Later 

Gillian usually made a point never to answer unknown phone numbers, but she was distracted when her phone rang, and picked it up without thinking.

“You know, I had to bribe the production office to get your new number,” came David’s familiar dry drawl. “Why is that? Why don’t I have this number?”

The call was unexpected, but not bothersome. She couldn’t help but smile. “Probably because you were too busy hitting on our single cast members to ask for mine.”

Her teasing tone made him chuckle. “Touché.” She giggled, but then didn’t know what to say, so she was glad when he spoke up. “Well, I have it now…and it looks like we’re going to be seeing a lot more of each other.”

Unsure what he was implying, her heart sped up in nervousness. She looked around her bedroom as if he was going to burst out of the closet. “Why?” Her tone came out harsher than she intended and he groaned.

“Ouch, try to contain your excitement.”

Though he couldn’t see her, Gillian rolled her eyes anyway. “I’m just confused…”

With little fanfare, he blurted, “The show got picked up.”

It was hard to hear him…her ears felt like they were filled with cotton as the blood rushed to her head. “I’m sorry?”

“You know, that shitty pilot we filmed that you said didn’t have a chance in hell of getting picked up? Well, I guess ABC had other ideas.”

“Oh my god…” It was the first thing that popped into her head. Never in a million years had she thought the show would actually move forward. Her plan had been to collect her easy paycheck and then move on.

Thrown off by her reaction, David fumbled over his words. “They ordered 13 episodes to start…with the possibility of more next season.”

“Next season!” she shrieked. Glancing beside her, she then shut her eyes to keep the room from spinning. “Um…I haven’t heard anything from my agent…”

“I told them that I wanted to be the one to tell you. You know, for old times’ sake.” He was masking his clear awkwardness with humor. Gillian licked her lips then blew out a puff of air. When she didn’t respond, he grew worried. “Gill…I mean….is this a problem? Is it me?”

His words were drenched in insecurity and hurt feelings and she quickly snapped her mind back into focus. “Of course it’s not you,” she argued. “This just really took me by surprise.”

It was a partial lie, but if he realized it, he didn’t call her out on it. Whether he was satisfied with her answer, she didn’t know. He quickly ended the call not long after, leaving her to deal with her shock on her own.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck….” she mumbled. “This is so bad….” There were a million reasons that it was bad...and one of them was sitting right beside her in bed. 

“Mommy!” a tiny voice gasped. “That’s three bad words!”

Sighing, she tossed her phone aside and then turned so that she could look at her son. His playful, wide eyes bore into hers and made her stomach churn with familiar anxiety. “That’s $100 dollars in the jar.”

Her face brightened in amusement and she swept a dark piece of hair out of his face. “$100! That’s a lot!”

“No it’s not,” he argued.

Before he could continue, his twin sister crawled out from under the bed and jumped up into the air. “I’m a monster!” she yelled. Her shoulder length blonde hair was sticking up in all directions and she wore a Chewbacca mask. “You’re my prisoners.” She climbed up onto the bed and flopped down towards the end.

“You’re not a monster,” the boy argued. “Chewbacca isn’t a monster, is he, mommy?”

Gillian watched as her daughter peeled off her mask to reveal flushed cheeks and light oval shaped eyes. “Umm…I don’t really know what he is.”

Her son looked at her in confusion. “Yes you do! He’s a Wookie.” His eyes, greener than his sister’s, flashed in the dim light. 

“No, he’s a monster,” his sister argued.

“No he’s not!”

Instead of breaking up the argument, Gillian studied her twins. They weren’t at all alike, in personality, or appearance. They were each a mix of their parents in different ways….and that was only becoming more apparent as they grew older. Her mind suddenly went back to David and the show…and a feeling of dread washed over her again. She had made a colossal mistake by agreeing to do the pilot, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

“Who was on the phone, mommy?” her curious daughter asked. At some point the twins had stopped arguing and instead, had focused their attention on their mother.

The question threw her off guard and she nearly panicked. Taking even breaths, she recovered quickly. “Just a friend from work.”

Never one to let a subject drop, the little girl pressed for more information. “A boy or a girl?”

“Ummm…a boy,” Gillian stuttered. The girl pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and pretended to be thinking long and hard. It was a trait that she had not inherited from her mother. 

“That’s interesting,” she finally teased. “A boyyyyyyyfriend.”

“He’s NOT my boyfriend,” Gillian teased back. “He’s just a friend who is a boy.” 

Momentarily forgetting how screwed she was, Gillian laughed and reached down to tickle her daughter. Her kids had been the one good spot in the life over the past few years. Every decision she had made was in their best interest. Every choice was for them. She had to keep reminding herself of that...over and over...until she believed it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm overwhelmed by the positive feedback that I've been getting about this fic! Thank you so much! I have a few chapters written already. I don't want to post them all at once because I'm trying to edit them, but there should never be a huge gap in between chapters. It's going to be LONG. FYI. ;)

One Month Later

Gillian was standing in the middle of the crowded elementary school gymnasium when she caught sight of a familiar figure staring at her. Soon, his eyes found hers and her heart sped up as he made his way towards her.

“Okay, now I know for sure that you’re stalking me,” David mused. “You could have just called if you wanted to see me…” 

Gillian couldn’t bring herself to smile at his joke. Why did they keep running into each other? Was it fate? She didn’t know. “Maybe you’re the one stalking me. What are you doing here?”

He glanced around the crowded room where dozens of booths were set up. Each booth showed different things about the school and each had activities for the kids to do. He pointed at the sign that read ‘New Student Orientation’ and then said, “West starts 5th grade in the fall. The real question is…” His gaze eventually returned to her and with furrowed brows he continued, “What are you doing here?”

Realizing that she had no choice but to answer the question, Gillian’s eyes widened. She awkwardly looked down at the floor, “Well…um…that’s what I’ve been meaning to talk to you about actually…”

Not understanding what was going on, he stepped closer to her. “Is everything okay?” His tone was low and silky.

She opened her mouth to respond, but quickly closed it when her son ran up to her and grabbed her hand. “Can we go home now, mommy?” She could feel David’s eyes boring into hers, demanding her attention, but she looked down at the boy instead.

“Sweetie, we have to stay. We’re going to meet the teachers soon.”

“No,” he whined. “I want to stay with you.”

“I’ll be here the whole time, don’t worry.” After a few seconds of arguing, the little boy hesitantly walked away in annoyance.

“Um…that’s my son, Max.” She wet her lips and then finally looked at David.

“I can see that,” came his astonished reply. He looked back and forth between her and the boy before letting out an awkward chuckle. Thoughtfully, his hand rubbed over the dark stubble that covered his chin. “ I guess we picked the same school, huh?”

At first she could only nod. It felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. David and Max were not supposed to meet this way. They weren’t supposed to meet….at all. “I guess we did,” she eventually laughed. If she didn’t laugh, she would cry. “We got wait listed for Pre-K…so I’m pretty happy that we got in for Kindergarten.” She was rambling, and she knew it, but she didn’t know what else to do. Could he see right through her?

“Me too. I had to sell my soul to get West in for 5th grade. Literally. I have no soul now,” he joked, but Gillian wasn’t paying attention to him. Her attention had wandered to the balloon booth where she saw Max standing with a group of kids. He followed her gaze, and then poked her arm to get her attention. “A son?”

Her watery, guilt ridden eyes met his and he frowned in confusion. Growing concerned, he stepped closer, but then was interrupted by a familiar woman.

“There you are, sorry I’m late. Traffic from downtown was a nightmare.” The woman, who was in her mid-thirties, planted a wet kiss on his lips and slid her arm around his back. “Hi, I’m Kyra,” she said, as she held out her hand.

In a daze, Gillian shook her hand, but did not introduce herself. Her tongue felt like it was stuck to the roof of her mouth. Clearing his throat, David quickly introduced her, but it was too late to save the awkward encounter. Desperately, he tried to meet her gaze, but Gillian wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Feeling oddly hurt, and upset, she was grateful when the school principal got up on stage and ushered them into groups based on grade. She couldn’t spend the rest of the night with him. 

__________

“So…you have a son,” David said, when he found Gillian at the craft service table the following week. His inflection gave nothing away.

Grabbing an apple and some peanut butter, she regarded him with feigned indifference. “And…you have a girlfriend.”

Her statement made him sigh. “Listen, about that…” Realizing that they were being curiously watched by fellow cast and crew members, his hand went to her lower back and he guided her away.

Gillian wanted to protest. She wanted to scream at him to stop touching her. The more he touched her, the more she realized how utterly screwed she was. But instead, she followed him to a quiet bench.

“She’s not my girlfriend,” he insisted, as they both sat down. She arched a skeptical eyebrow and he shook his head. “Okay, maybe she is. I dunno…it’s not that serious.” Unsure why he felt the need to explain himself, he continued, “We haven’t been together that long.”

“She came to your daughter’s orientation…that seems pretty serious.” She kept her tone purposefully light. Inside, her heart was aching with irrational jealousy, but she worked hard not to show it.

“Her cousin works there!” Unsure why he was suddenly feeling defensive, David sighed. Gillian did the same. She didn’t want to get into an argument over his maybe girlfriend. Instead, she nodded and pretended to examine her apple. In silence, he watched her fidgeting hands. Finally, he put his hand over hers to still them. “Can we talk about your son?” His question wasn’t accusatory.

Her blue eyes flashed at his, and then it was her turn to grow defensive. “What do you want to talk about?” she snapped. Her mind battled with itself. One side insisted that he had no right to pry into her personal life. The other side argued that he had every right.

Frustrated by her anger, he sat up straight. He had a million questions, but he wasn’t sure how to ask any of them without offending her completely. Losing his courage, he stuck to something safe. “His name is Max? Just Max?”

Gillian kept her walls up. He was in a relationship. He was happy and whole…and raising a daughter. He didn’t need to be mixed up in her mess. “Just Max.”

“That’s…an interesting choice,” he teased. When her eyes narrowed, he released her hand and held his up into the air. “I’m kidding. It’s a solid name.” She didn’t need or want his approval, but politely thanked him anyway. “Ummm…so…” he was going to ask about Max’s father, but she quickly interrupted him.

“Max has a twin sister,” she blurted. Redirecting the conversation was easier than dealing with what she knew was coming.

His eyes instantly widened. “What?”

Shivering, Gillian tried to focus, but it was hard. Her mind refused to quit battling. “She was off playing…the other night. She’s a bit more independent than him.”

David let out a puff of air. “Wow, twins? That’s…wow.” He was completely shocked. If he wasn’t already sitting down, he was sure that his legs would give out.

“David...” she started, but he beat her to it.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“We keep getting interrupted.” It was a lame excuse. She knew exactly why she didn’t tell him, but he didn’t seem to. Yet. 

His intense gaze bore into hers. He used to be able to read her like a book. Now, it was like the book was in a different language. Time had hardened her. He could see her pain and heartache hidden beneath the depths of her eyes, he just didn’t understand what caused it. “What’s her name?” It was a brainless question, but it at least kept the conversation going.

“Addie.”

“Just Addie?” he smirked, hoping to get a smile out of her.

It worked. Her lips curved into a small, but amused smile. “No. Adelaide,” came her shy response. 

Biting his bottom lip, he thought over the name. “Was she conceived in Australia or something?” he joked.

Her hands began to sweat, and she let out a giggle to hide her sudden nervousness. “ I just liked the name.”

“Oh...” He had no idea what to say after that, so he complimented her on her naming choices once again. 

When an awkward silence fell over them, David sent her a somber smile. “I don’t mean to be insensitive Gillian, but…where’s their dad?” For some reason, he was terrified of the answer, and he didn’t know why. It was selfish and illogical, but it hurt to think that she had found someone else…someone who provided her with the family and stability that he never could. “Are you…still with him?”

He was so caught up in his own feelings that he failed to notice the panic that crossed her features. To hide it, Gillian covered her forehead with her hand. “He’s uh…not in the picture,” she mumbled, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn’t ask for more details.

His relief at the fact that she wasn’t with the guy was quickly replaced by anger. “He left?” came his incredulous tone.

“Something like that.” She could only hope that her vague response was enough.

Instead of continuing to question her, he unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her. “I’m sorry.” Shocked by his movement, she stayed completely still until he pulled away. His hand gently caressed her cheek before he realized what he was doing. “You’ve been doing it on your own? With twins?” Her escape from Hollywood suddenly made more sense to him.

Trying not to get sucked into his sweet behavior, she cleared her throat. “It’s not so bad,” she lied. “My mom moved here, so she’s helped me…and now that they are in school I feel okay getting back into the swing of things…” In reality, she had no choice. Acting was the only thing that she really knew how to do and the sound investments that she made in the 90’s weren’t going to last forever. 

David nodded in understanding. He didn’t know what to say or how to deal with the mixed feelings floating through his mind. The conversation was getting too serious and too emotional for their surroundings, so he opted to make things a bit lighter. “So did you sign the kids up for the summer camp at school? West practically begged me to.” 

Grateful that he had moved the conversation to safer territory, she nodded. “I did...I think it’ll be good for them.” 

His spirits visibly brightened at the idea that they would have yet another connection to each other. “I’ll tell West to keep an eye out for them.” 

“That would be great, thank you.” She wasn’t sure how long she would be able to carry on avoiding important topics, but she would take the reprieve while she could.  
__________

Week after week they continued to meet at the same secluded bench until it became a habit. Their lunches were rarely filled with deep discussions, but it was the familiar camaraderie that they craved and enjoyed. 

Instead of eating from her own plate, Gillian picked grapes off of his and popped them into her mouth. David was engrossed in his emails, so he made no move to guard his food. “Do you still believe in all that hippy shit?” He wondered, once he was through with his emails.

Playfully, she kicked his shin. “Hippy shit?”

He turned towards her and then, with a mischievous smirk, he continued, “Yeah. You know. All that shit you used to go on about. Fate. Destiny. Kismet. Reincarnation…” His face looked jovial, but his tone was rather serious. It was an odd mix, and it confused her.

“I guess so.” She studied him carefully, trying to figure out what he was thinking. “I haven’t really given it much thought.” There wasn’t much time in her life to dedicate to such things. She was a single mother struggling to raise her children. She couldn’t afford to lose herself in existential thoughts. “Why?”

David shrugged. “I never really thought much about it, to be honest. It always sounded like fucking bullshit to me.” The lines across his forehead crinkled, “But, you know, us meeting up again…you getting this show…us sending our kids to the same school…that has to be some destiny shit, right?” He met her eyes and smiled. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just crazy. But out of all the cities, out of all the schools, and all the shows, what are the odds that we would end up here again?”

David had always had a way with words, she just wasn’t used to him being so comfortable speaking them. His profound insight left her slightly emotional. She had been trying hard not to think too much about him. Even as they sat side by side, sharing lunch, it was easier for her to compartmentalize than to deal with her own feelings.

“Maybe it’s our destiny…to be pulled back to each other.” Her voice was barely audible. There were things that tied them together, things that he didn’t even know about. Things...that she had no idea how to start explaining.

His mouth opened to say something, but then he quickly closed it. He shook his head, as if he were physically trying to throw whatever he had wanted to say out of his mind. A warm breeze crept up and rustled their paper plates. Her napkins blew right off of her lap, and before she could move, he jumped up and retrieved them for her. “We can’t get a reputation for littering.” When he sat back down he joked, “Imagine that gossip headline?”

They spent the next several minutes coming up with one ridiculous headline after the next and when they ran out, they found themselves staring at each other again. The urge to kiss her was strong. Too strong. It took every ounce of his self-restraint to keep his body rooted in place. 

“Our girls have become good friends at camp,” came David’s random statement. Talking would keep his lips from doing other things. Dangerous things.

A slight twinge of disappointment crossed her face before it vanished and was replaced by a soft smile. “So I’ve heard. Addie is obsessed with West...it’s all she talks about.”

David chuckled. “Same with West. Apparently everyone at camp calls them the ‘twins.’ She goes around telling people she’s got a little sister. It’s sweet.”

“The twins?”

“West says they look alike,” shrugged David. “You know how kids are. They think anyone with the same color eyes looks just like them.”

Suddenly, Gillian couldn’t look at him. Her eyes darted to her hands that were making anxious movements in her lap. Fate must be real, she thought. How else could she explain what was happening? 

The path forward suddenly seemed clear. She had to tell him. The universe was making that abundantly clear. Nausea filled her stomach again. It was a common occurrence when David was around. 

Before she could lose her nerve, she said, “There are some things that we need to talk about.” Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his worried frown, but she refused to look at him directly. “Not here though…maybe we can get together on an off day.” They weren’t working all the time. It was one of the perks of an ensemble cast.

David was worried about her and it showed, but he was afraid to keep pressing her on it, so he readily agreed to meet up with her.  
__________

Unfortunately, between working and raising kids, David and Gillian were never able to find an appropriate time to talk, and soon an entire month had gone by. 

One afternoon, in the middle of a July heatwave, David was in a rush to pick up West from camp. In typical 10 year old fashion, she was moving as slow as possible. As he scanned the playground and spotted his daughter, he tried not to get agitated. Filming had run late and now he was going to be late for his date with Kyra.

Beside him, a teenage camp counselor greeted him and pointed towards the jungle gym, “The girls are really cute together.” Squinting against the afternoon sun, he could barely make out the image of West as she darted in and out of the playhouse.“I’ve never seen sisters get along so well…and they look so much alike. It’s adorable.”

David couldn’t hold in his amused laugh. “I don’t know what the girls have been saying, but they aren’t actually sisters, you know.” The counselor thought he was kidding and let out a snort, so he took his eyes off of the playground to meet hers. “They really aren’t…I’m serious.” 

His lips were upturned into a smile and it was obvious that the teenager was extremely confused. After a few minutes, West finally ran up to him as he was gathering her things. She was covered in dirt and sweat. “Can Addie sleep over?”

“Not tonight. Molly is coming to watch you for a bit while I go to dinner.”

“Can I sleep over Addie’s?” came her predictable follow-up question.

For a brief second, David wondered what Gillian would do if Addie asked her the same question. He was still trying to wrap his mind around the idea that she had five year old twins, let alone the fact that his daughter had befriended one of them. “I’ve never even met Addie,” he admonished.

“She’s over there, with Max,” West pointed to the slide, and David followed her gaze, but even with his sunglasses on, it was too bright and he could make out nothing but two small figures.

Eager to get home, and even more eager to change the subject, he asked, “Don’t you think you’re a little old for a sleepover with a Kindergartener?”

“She’s my best friend.”

West’s crest fallen expression made him feel instantly guilty. In that moment, he didn’t want to deny her anything, ever again. Putting his arm around her, he ushered her off the playground. “I’ll talk to Gillian and see if we can set something up for you and Addie soon, okay?” He would do anything to make her happy.

“I like Gillian,” West mindlessly chattered. “She calls me Westy and always brings treats when she picks up Addie. She brings one for me now, too…” David listened, but didn’t say anything. His co-star entered his mind more than he wanted to admit and it seemed like his daughter was having the same problem. 

West talked on and on as they made their way across Central Park. “Are you sure Addie isn’t my twin?” she asked for the third time in ten minutes. 

The repeated question made David laugh.“Honey….yes. I’m sure.” His daughter was relentless, but he tried hard not to get frustrated. 

“How can you be sure?”

“Well, you’re 10, and she’s 5,” he laughed. The line of questioning was so ridiculous that he had trouble taking it seriously.

“But we look the same. Everyone says so. Maybe she’s my sister.”

“Some people just look similar. It doesn’t mean you’re related,” insisted David. “I was there when you were born...trust me, you don’t have a twin.” 

Annoyed that her father wouldn’t listen to her, the girl rummaged through her backpack and then thrust a wrinkled picture into his hand. “They took this of us at camp. See, we look alike!” 

Humoring her, he glanced at the photo, but didn’t really give it a good look. He was too distracted by the fact that he was late to focus on the picture. He caught a glimpse of two blurry forms, but lied and said that he saw the resemblance. He was about to break the news to her again, that she did not have a twin, and certainly did not have a sister, but then he looked into her hopeful blue eyes and thought better of it. Her young life had not been an easy one. He couldn’t bring himself to crush her spirit.  
__________

A few days later, the sound of high pitched giggles met David as he stepped into his trailer. The place went quiet as soon as he flipped on the light and he looked around in confusion. “Hello?” It didn’t seem like there was anyone in there, but he knew that he had not imagined the noise.

Standing completely still, he listened and waited. It didn’t take long for more giggles to fill the air. “Who’s in here?” Feeling paranoid, he glanced around at the furnishings to make sure that he was in the right trailer.

He moved towards the sound, but he didn’t get very far before a little girl jumped out from behind the couch. “BOO!” she yelled, before bursting into laughter once again. The child was wearing a plastic tiger mask and an orange and black tiger dress to match.

David held up his hands and pretended to be frightened. “Ahhhh!” 

“Roarrrrrrrr!”

“Don’t eat me!”

At his pleading tone, the girl yanked her mask up so that it was on top of her head. She stepped towards him with furrowed brows. “I’m not a real tiger…it’s just dress up…see?” Before he could fully process what was going on, she thrust the mask into his hands. “Don’t be scared.”

“Apparently, I’m a better actor than I thought.” His joke got no reaction from her. Her blue eyes narrowed slightly as she took him in. Suddenly, he was startled with an odd sense of déjà vu.

“Who are you?” Her stern question shook him out of his reverie.

Laughing, he handed the mask back to her. “I’m David. This is my trailer…who are you?”

“Addie!” came her proud response. “And this is my brother,” she pointed towards the other end of the trailer. “Max, come out. The game is over now.” When the boy didn’t appear, she stomped her foot and yelled, “MAX! I SAID THE GAME IS OVER!”

David followed her gaze and watched as the little boy crawled out from under the table. “He never listens,” Addie dramatically huffed. She moved towards her brother and fussed with his messy hair.

Max didn’t object. His sister was older by two minutes, but it could have been two years with the way he let her fuss over him. After a few seconds, the twins looked directly at him and he was overcome once again with déjà vu. Something deep in his gut nagged at him, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. 

As they continued to stare at him, two things dawned on him at once: one, that he had finally met the famous Addie. And two, that Gillian’s twins were hiding in his trailer….which meant….that they weren’t where they were supposed to be. This realization hit him much too slowly. Before he could move, the door burst open and in rushed their flustered mother.

Without looking at David, she stormed towards her children and grabbed their hands. “Didn’t I tell you to stay in my trailer?” came her panicked question. “I told you to wait for me right there!”

“Mommy, it’s not big enough to hide in.” Addie was not intimidated.

“I told you to stay there.”

“It was her idea!” Max had no problem throwing his sister under the bus.

Gillian was so visibly frazzled that her hands were shaking. “I don’t care whose idea it was.” She gently pulled them towards the door. “You can’t just walk into people’s trailers.”

Bewildered by her reaction, David tried to get her attention, but she completely ignored him.  
When she made it to the door, she briefly met his eyes.“I’m so sorry.” Her face was bright red.  
“Sorry, for what?” he questioned with furrowed brows. Her behavior was confusing, and he stepped towards her, but her figure was already fleeing. “Gill, wait…” he called out, but it was too late. In three quick strides he made it to the door, but then reality set in. He couldn’t go chasing her across the set. They couldn’t act that way anymore.

An hour passed by and when David found himself unable to concentrate, he went in search of his co-star. He told himself that he was just worried about her. But deep down, he knew that it was more than that. The nagging feeling was back and whenever he thought of Gillian and the twins, it grew worse and worse. His anxiety was slowly building, but without knowing what he was anxious about, it was impossible to sooth it. He hoped that finding her could provide answers.

She wasn’t in her trailer, or on set, but he managed to track her down in the parking lot. She was standing outside of one of the generic studio town cars.

“Hey, Gillian…wait…” he called, as he broke into a jog. He reached the car before she could get in. His hand rested against the closed door to prevent her from fleeing. “What’s going on?”  
She turned to him with an icy glare. “I have to go.” She tried to sidestep around him, but he blocked her way.

David refused to move. “Did I do something?” He didn’t understand her sudden hostility towards him. “Hey…talk to me,” came his pleading tone.

Feeling incredibly guilty, she could barely meet his eyes. I shouldn’t have brought them here, yelled her mind. “They were supposed to be at camp, but they weren’t feeling well last night…so I kept them home and had to bring them today. I’m sorry.” 

David shook his head at her explanation. “I don’t understand what you’re sorry for.” His voice grew quiet as he continued, “They’re good kids. What’s the big deal?”

He was being so nice and so sincere. It made her feel even worse. Her wet eyes met his and she frowned. “I have to go.” She couldn’t bear to look at him. Her sudden statement threw him off guard and it gave her enough time to bypass his body and get into the car.

“Gillian!” This time he yelled, and didn’t care who heard him. Before the car pulled away, the window opened, but instead of being face to face with her, he was face to face with Addie.

“David! You can have my mask. Keep it forever!” She tossed it out the car window and it landed on the pavement.

“Adelaide Faye, close that window right now!” He heard Gillian snap as the car started pulling away.

Throwing his hands into the air, he watched as the car exited the studio lot. Talking to her had given him no answers. In fact, it had left him more confused than ever. The sun caught the edge of the plastic mask and reflected into his eyes. Picking it up with one hand, he dusted the dirt off and then held it to his face.  
__________

With West spending the night at a friend’s house, David opened up a bottle of wine and poured himself a large glass. The earlier events were still fresh on his mind. The more he thought about Gillian and her children, the more muddled things became. Why was she acting so strangely? What did she need to discuss with him? Why was she so weird about Max and Addie? The Gillian of the past used to talk his ear off about Piper. Why was she acting so different with the twins?

What frustrated him the most was the gnawing feeling that he should know the answer. With a sigh, he downed the rest of his wine in two large gulps and then sat the glass down on the coffee table with a clank. There was a stack of mail on the table that he tossed aside and when he looked down, he noticed the picture of West and Addie that had been buried beneath it.

Letting out a painful groan, he grabbed the picture. His muscles ached as he sat back against the couch. He had pretty much ignored the picture when West had shown him. But now, with nothing else to do, he scanned it with interest. They really do look alike, he mused to himself. David’s mind wandered back to his earlier encounter with Addie. Now that he had a proper face to match the name, his mind worked overtime trying to figure out what was going on.

David was a smart man, so it didn’t take long for a curious thought to enter his mind and take root. Suddenly, the nagging feeling in his gut propelled him to sit up. His body was rigid as he stared at the girls’ nearly identical eyes. Like a mad man, he stood up and was across the room in seconds. It only took him a few more seconds to grab the correct photo album from the bookshelf. Haphazardly he flipped through the pages until he came to a picture of West on her fifth birthday.

Moving back towards the couch, he held the picture to the album. The girls at the age of five could have passed for fraternal twins. The only noticeable difference was their noses. Addie had Gillian’s nose, but the rest of her was all...him. The realization hit David hard. The picture fluttered to the floor, and then his legs gave out. Luckily, the couch was there to catch him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...you asked for the confrontation, so here it is. ;)

Gillian pulled her zip up sweatshirt across her chest as she rushed to the front door. It was almost midnight, and someone had been knocking for five minutes. Without checking to see who it was, she angrily thrust open the door. Shocked at who she saw, she unconsciously took a step back.

“Can I come in?” His monotone question gave nothing away.

“David, it’s late…” Her anger slowly faded away as she took in his defeated form. He was leaning against the doorjamb as if his limbs wouldn’t hold him up.

“Is it?” He glanced at his wristwatch and then shrugged. “I walked…I guess I lost track of time.”

Alarmed and confused, she ignored the voice in her head that told her to turn him away. “Are you drunk?” came her incredulous question as he walked past her.

“No.”

Silently, she watched as his eyes roamed over every inch of the small apartment. Without waiting for an invitation, he made his way around. When he got to the shelves in the living room, he scanned the rows of books and then picked up a picture frame that held a picture of the twins as toddlers.

Suddenly annoyed, Gillian moved towards him and possessively yanked the frame out of his hand. She put it back on the shelf and then set her darkened gaze on his. “What are you doing here?“

It bothered him that she had to ask. “You really don’t know?” He couldn’t keep his bitterness to himself.

Stubbornly, her chin came up and she arched a defiant eyebrow, “No. I don’t.”

Not believing her, he shook his head in disgust and muttered, “Unbelievable.” From his jeans pocket, he pulled out a picture and thrust it in front of her face before she could protest.

Angrily, she pushed his hand away. She didn’t want to see whatever he was there to show her. David was undeterred. He waved the picture just out of her reach until she finally grew so angry that she snatched it away from him. “Get out,” she snapped.

“Look at it!” He snapped back. His tone was low, but lethal. “Look at it, and tell me again that you don’t know why I’m here.”

Her stomach quickly twisted as she realized what was going on. A cold feeling of dread spread over her body and then settled across her chest. She finally gave the picture a good look. West and Addie, with their similar faces, stared back at her. Their similar appearance was not news to her. 

“West gave it to me.” He wasn’t going to leave until she admitted it. He needed to hear it from her. Letting out a cold laugh, he continued, “You know…here I was…thinking my kid just had an overactive imagination. I figured...there’s no way they could look that much alike.”

Gillian’s throat burned. Hoping that the sensation would go away, she cleared it, but it didn’t work. Unsure what to do she asked, “Do you want to sit down?”

Her nonchalant behavior infuriated him. “Are you fucking kidding me, Gillian?” The sudden noise made her flinch, but he didn’t feel bad.

Out of habit, she reached out and grabbed his bicep. “Shh!” He looked down at her hand with an odd expression and she quickly pulled it away. “They’re sleeping…”

“Lucky them.”

“Please,” she begged. “They don’t need to hear this.” Panic flooded her mind. She didn’t want their argument to be one of their first memories of him.

There were so many things he wanted to yell at her, but her words gave him pause. Sighing in annoyance, he then held his hand in the air. Cockily he added, “Fine. Lead the way.”

Just a few hours ago, he was practically begging to be near her. Now, he wanted to get as far away from her as possible, so he sat down on the opposite end of the couch. He didn’t want to be the one to come out and say it. He was too stubborn for that, so he waited for her to speak, and when she didn’t, he groaned and rubbed his hand over his eyes.

“When were they born?” he questioned in a gruff tone.

Gillian closed her eyes before replying, “January 4, 2004.” When she opened them again, she could practically see his mind doing the math. He looked like he would unravel at any second. Flooded with guilt, she put him out of his misery. “They were born 8 weeks early.” It was hard for her to see the despair floating around the depths of his eyes, so she finally admitted, “They’re yours,” her voice cracked as she spoke.

Though he already knew it, nothing could have prepared him for the reality of it actually happening. Folding himself over his knees, he shoved his head into his heads and took huge gulps of air. At some point, she moved closer to him. When her hands caressed his back, his muscles tensed. For once, he didn’t want her comfort.

Jerking violently away from her, he lifted his head up, “How the fuck could you do this?”

Gillian let her hands fall to her lap. “I never meant to hurt you….”

Her tone sounded genuine, but it did nothing to quench his anger. She robbed him of fives years that he would never get back. “What possible reason could you have?” More aware than ever of the sleeping twins, he kept his voice low. She wasn’t saying anything and it enraged him. “Tell me!”

His angry gaze and even angrier tone made her unable to think clearly. “I...I didn’t think that...I’d ever see you again,” she finally stuttered.

Unable to contain his pent up anger, he stood up in a rush. “What the hell does that even mean?” His whispered voice was as high as it could go. “We worked together for 9 years! I’m from this city. You really thought that you would never see me again?”

He was towering over her and she wasn’t comfortable with it, but she made no move to stand up. “Yes…” she mumbled, but then shook her head. “No…I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Stepping away from her, he started pacing around the plush white carpet. “How can you not know?” He needed answers. He was demanding them.

“You were married…you had two kids...how was I supposed to know that you were leaving Tea...or that the baby wasn’t yours?” Her defense was weak. Her reasoning was much more complicated than that, but her mind couldn’t work well enough to explain it.

“Had you actually come to me, you would have known!”

“You never said anything that night!” she defended. “I just thought it would be easier if you weren’t involved.” Her ill thought out remark hurt his feelings and it showed on his features. “I didn’t mean it that way…”

“No, that’s exactly what you meant,” he bit out. Then with a clinched jaw, added, “You took the selfish way out. You’ve always been selfish. I don’t know why I thought that that would ever change.” His anger just kept building and building. Even looking at her was difficult. Even in their darkest times, he never imagined that she could betray him in this way. It made the situation so much worse.

“You had the balls to tell me that their dad ‘wasn’t in the picture.’” He pointed a finger in her direction. “Is that what you tell everyone? Is that what you tell them? That I fucking left them?” Gillian shook her head, but he didn’t believe her. So he kept yelling, and this time, it was hard to keep his voice low. “You’re so worried about being a good mother, but you’re keeping them from their father? That doesn’t make any fucking sense, Gillian.”

His words stung. When the twins were born, she had truly believed that she was doing what was in everyone’s best interest. She had never stopped to think about the ramifications. She had never allowed herself to think of the future and what impact growing up without a father would have on them.

“They spent the first two months of their life in the NICU.” Her anger bubbled up again. “The doctors kept telling me that Max could die. My only concern was keeping them both alive.” Hot, angry, tears made their way out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She wiped them away, but it wasn’t quick enough.

“Don’t do that!” he yelled. His face was twisted into lines of rage. “You don’t get to cry.” His breathing was erratic. “I’m the one who should be crying.” In the heat of the moment, he felt no sympathy for her.

His yelling only made her cry more, “And you don’t get to tell me what I can and can’t do!”

“You weren’t even going to tell me, were you?”

“I’ve been trying to talk to you about it!” she argued, but he didn’t care about her excuses. Suddenly David sped across the room and loomed over her. His eyes were wild with fury and his hands were balled into tight fists. Gillian looked up at him, but the man she knew wasn’t even recognizable. “David?” came her fearful tone.

His name snapped him back to the present. In a daze, he looked around in confusion. He had no memory of even crossing the room. His hands ached where his nails had dug into them. Blinking, he took in her frightened appearance and stepped away. He held his hands up into the air as if he needed to prove that he was innocent. She called his name again, but he turned and walked away. Forgetting about the sleeping twins, he let the door slam on his way out.  
__________

Two days later, it was Gillian’s turn to go searching for David. She didn’t want to talk to him at work, but it was the only place where she had easy access to him. Courage propelled her across the lot and concern propelled her into his trailer. It was a beautiful summer day outside, but the shades were drawn, making the room look bleak.

“What do you want?”

His harsh voice startled her. Turning around, she found him sitting at the table. There were dark circles under his eyes and deep lines across his forehead. His appearance stabbed at her heart. “I thought we could talk.”

David stared at the grains of the table so that he wouldn’t have to see her. “You’re about five years too late.” His tone was emotionless, as if the life had been sucked right out of him.

Feeling flustered, she crossed her arms, “I just want you to understand why…”

He didn’t let her finish her thought. He easily took back the control. “Kyra is a family law attorney, you know.” He let the information dangle there with a dramatic pause before he continued, “She could help me sue you for custody, and I’ll probably win…since my children were intentionally kept from me.”

His threat sparked her temper, “Would that make you feel better?” Came her incredulous question. “Taking them away from me? Is that what would make you happy?”

David still wouldn’t look at her, but it was obvious that he was listening. The trailer was silent for a long time. She was about to turn around and leave, but his words kept her rooted in place. “What would make me happy, is if we could go back in time and erase that night we spent together.”

His statement hurt, but she was too stubborn to let him know it, so she kept her tone even. “You don’t mean that.”

He pushed back against the table and rocked back in his chair like a petulant child, “I know exactly what I mean.” He could only avoid her gaze for so long. Eventually, he looked up at her, and he hated the way his stomach flip flopped when he noticed that she looked just as miserable as him. “Am I that bad of a person? Was I so terrible to you that you thought my own children would be better off without me? Is that why you did it?”

His self-loathing questions broke her heart. His words weren’t true, but how could she possibly make him believe that now? “No!” she insisted. “It had nothing to do with you…”

“Obviously it did!” he snapped. “Or you wouldn’t have lied to me all this time.”

“I didn’t know what to do!” defended Gillian. “You have no idea what it was like.” Her voice rose and rose until she was practically screaming at him, “I had a life here. You had a life in LA. Not to mention your wife and kids. What the fuck was I supposed to do?” His jaw was clenched tightly. He wanted to yell back, but stayed quiet. “What would we have even done if I did tell you? How would we have hid something like that? What choice did I have?”

David had trouble holding in his own temper, “You could have fucking told me! We could have figured it out, together.”

Frustrated, she threw her hands into the air. “What the fuck do you want from me?” she snarled.

At her words, he stood up and ran his hands through his hair. She drove him absolutely crazy in the worst possible way. Nothing had changed in that regard. Perhaps it never would. “I want you to get the hell out.” Defiantly, she crossed her arms and dared him to come near her. He didn’t take the bait. “Whatever this was…” he pointed to the space between them, “It’s done. I can’t even look at you.” He bit out in complete disgust.

“Yeah? Well, now you know how I’ve felt all this whole fucking time,” she screamed back before she stormed out. When she made it outside, she glared at the people who were standing within ear shot. “Don’t look at me,” she snapped, before pulling her sunglasses over her eyes and stomping to her trailer.  
__________

Hours later, David invited himself into Gillian’s trailer. He didn’t want to see her, but he was determined not to miss another moment of Max and Addie’s life…and unfortunately he had to go through their mother to make his dream a reality. His anger hadn’t subsided, not in the least, so it was difficult to keep calm as they faced off once again.

“Get out,” she bellowed as she faced away from him.

“No,” came his clipped response.

Shrugging her shoulders, she turned to face him, “Suit yourself.” She was still dressed in her wardrobe. She didn’t even bother to cover herself as she slowly unzipped the cotton dress and stepped out of it. Time had changed many things, but it had not changed how comfortable she was being naked around him. Clad only in a nude colored bra and matching underwear, she watched as he drank in the sight of her. Her cocky response pulled his eyes up. “I see you still like the view.”

David was unashamed. “It’s not the worst I’ve ever seen.” Arousal flooded his senses as he watched her dress into regular clothes. His eyes were glued to her milky flesh. 

“Why are you here?” she demanded. In a huff, she slid into a pair of silver flip flops. “You don’t want to see me. I don’t want to see you. Let’s just leave it at that.” Being confrontational was the easy way out. For both of them. 

“I don’t mind seeing you naked.” His blunt statement was intended to be a joke, but instead, it fell flat. There was space between them, but it didn’t stop the electricity from shooting through them when their eyes met. In that moment, all he wanted to do was see her naked again. With urgency, his mind screamed at him not to go down that road. For the first time in his life, he listened to it…instead of his libido. “I want to see my kids.”

Gillian’s libido wasn’t fairing much better than his, but with his statement, the lusty spell they were under was broken. Being purposefully obtuse, she said, “They’re at camp.” She started stuffing things into her bag and ignoring his presence.

David sighed in frustration. “You know what I mean.”

“Why do you want to see them?”

“You know damn well why!”

Tossing her bag over her shoulder, she picked up her keys and walked passed him. “I don’t think we should jump right into anything.”

Refusing to let her walk out, he grabbed her arm and was momentarily stunned by the chemistry that swirled around them. The intensity of it simmered his anger. His mouth felt suddenly dry. He licked his lips, and she unconsciously mirrored him. “I just want to get to know them,” he spoke softly, without breaking eye contact.

Trapped under his spell once again, she became overly aware of the fact that his thumb was tracing circles around her arm. The small movement set her nerve endings ablaze. In that moment, she wouldn’t be able to deny him anything. “I promised them that we would have movie night Friday night. You could come then…if you want.” The words were out of her mouth before she even realized what she saying.

Surprised at how easily she agreed, his features softened and a brief smile crossed his lips. “I’d like that.” 

Overwhelmed, she stepped back and his hand dropped from her arm. Her walls quickly went back up. “Only if we agree to get along for them. I don’t want them pulled into this.” 

“I think we can manage,” he mumbled as he watched her form walk out of the trailer.   
__________

David’s nerves got the best of him as he waited for Gillian to answer the door. It wasn’t his first time meeting Max and Addie, but knowing that they were his children changed everything. Waiting was torture. What if they didn’t like him? What if he didn’t feel any type of fatherly bond towards them? Suddenly overwhelmed and insecure, he backed away from the door. Maybe Gillian had been right all along. Maybe…they were better off without him. Before his tormented mind could go any further, the door opened and a messy haired Gillian greeted him.

Her black t-shirt was covered in a white powdery substance. So were her arms, and even her forehead. “Sorry. Addie decided to bake cookies.” She invited him in and self-consciously attempted to smooth down her wild hair. “By herself, of course.” It was clear by her frazzled tone that she was just as overwhelmed as he was.

They were still angry at each other. Things had been said and done that couldn’t easily be erased. The tension lingered in the air and wrapped around them like a vice. Getting along for the kids was easier said than done. “I just put her in the bath. I was thinking maybe you can hang with Max while I get her cleaned up?”

He was silent for several long minutes until he realized that she was waiting for him to respond. “Oh. Okay. Sure…I can do that.” He felt completely under prepared, but there was no time to panic. Gillian led him into the living room and soon he was face to face with his son.

“Max, remember I told you that my friend, David, was coming over?” The boy was sitting on the floor. He looked up at his mother and nodded. “He’s going to play with you while I give Addie a bath. Maybe you can show you him your cars?” Hesitantly, the boy glanced towards his toys. Gillian waited until she was sure that he wouldn’t object before she motioned towards David, “Okay…I won’t be long.”

As she walked away, David realized that he was supposed to move, but it felt like his legs were cemented in place. After a few awkward moments, his instincts kicked in, “Hey,” he greeted. He felt instantly stupid when the boy ignored him. “What are you playing?”

“City,” Max eventually responded. Shyly, he looked up and then pointed to the throw rug where cars and action figures were strewn in an orderly fashion.

“Do you like cities?” The boy shrugged and continued to play as if he were alone in the room. Disappointment spread over David’s face. He tried to make small talk, but Max continued to ignore him. Unsure what to do next, he cleared his throat and sat down on the floor. His eyes roamed desperately towards the hallway that Gillian had disappeared down. He didn’t know how to interact with his own child. It made him feel like a complete failure. He was lost in his melancholy thoughts for a long time. It was Max’s question that pulled him back to the present.

“Do you want to play?”

Stunned, David could do nothing but stare. Max stared back at him with curious eyes. They were the same color as his own, and it felt surreal. “Sure.”

Hesitantly, the boy pushed two red cars towards him. “You can have these.”

“Oh! Thanks…” He took the cars and held them in his hands. Parenting a daughter wasn’t easy, but it was at least familiar. He felt completely out of his element with a son.

Max continued playing on his own. Then, without warning, he jumped up and grabbed a large plastic dinosaur from the coffee table, “Roarrrrrrr, roarrrrrrr!” He flung the dinosaur on top of his city. Cars and other toys went flying into the air. “Oh noooooo…T-Rex ate them up!”

David smiled in amusement and then laughed when the boy shoved cars into the dinosaur’s mouth. “Your city is gone.”

At his statement, Max abruptly stopped what he was doing and pointed to the red cars. “No, you have to rescue the people.”

“You’re right…what was I thinking.” David started to play. Side by side, they worked on rebuilding the city only for it to be wrecked again. They repeated the process over and over.

He was unsure how much time had passed by the time Addie bounded into the room. “Do you still have the mask?”she questioned in excitement. “You have to keep it forever.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

“You better not be telling lies.” She wagged a finger at him and it made him to chuckle. “I mean it!” she insisted.

“I’m not lying. I swear.”

Addie studied him to make sure that he was serious and then joined them on the floor. In awe, David watched as the twins effortlessly interacted. The pair barely spoke. Instead, they jumped right into a new game as if they had been playing all along. Soon, David was completely ignored, but it gave him the opportunity to watch.

“Sorry about that,” Gillian told him, as she rushed back into the room a few minutes later. She had changed into a pair of silk pajamas. When she found him sitting on the floor, her eyes widened in surprise. “What are you guys playing?” 

“Well, Max and I were playing city, but I think I’ve been kicked out of the game…” He stood up and motioned towards the twins who were now sliding their cars across the wooden floor.

Smirking, Gillian sat down on the couch. “Don’t take it personally.” She watched her kids with pride. “They do it to me all the time.”

David mindlessly sat down beside her. “They are just…” his voice trailed off because he was too distracted with the kids to formulate a proper sentence. “They’re amazing,” he eventually whispered.

“They really are,” she agreed. The mutual adoration momentarily took their minds off their turbulent relationship with each other.

“So…what are they like?” The fact that he had to ask about the personalities of his own kids pissed him off, but he managed to keep his anger from taking over. He had to play by her rules if he wanted to see them without a fight.

“They’re…night and day.” Gillian pulled her legs up underneath her. How do you even begin to explain someone’s children to them? “She’s going to rule the world someday.” Turning so that she could see him and the kids she continued, “She’s stubborn…but independent. Sometimes I think she could raise herself.” Her voice was low, but audible. “She makes friends faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. Sometimes I wonder how she could be my child.”

“West has always been like that, too,” David said in a thoughtful tone.

“I guess it came from you, then…”

David’s teeth grazed his bottom lip as his mind drifted. How many other traits did the twins get from him? “What about him?” He glanced towards his son. A part of him was afraid to get attached to the idea of having a son. After what happened with Tea…he didn’t think he could handle losing another.

“He’s her opposite. In every way.” She tried her best not to compare them, but their differences were so apparent that it was an impossible task.

“He seems shy…”

“He is,” agreed Gillian. “He’s also really smart, I mean, she is too. They both tested at the top of the entrance exam, but...” Her voice fell to a whisper, “He nearly tested out of Kindergarten.”

David’s eyes brightened in amusement, “I take full responsibility for their IQ,” he deadpanned. At her offended look, he smiled to let her know that he was kidding. To keep on good terms, he quickly changed the subject, “You said…um…that they were premature…” He looked towards the kids again to make sure that they weren’t paying attention, “Are they…you know…okay?”

Sitting up straight, her body grew instantly defensive. “Yes, of course they are.”

“I’m just asking,” he volleyed back.

“What, they aren’t up to your expectations?” 

Unsure why she was suddenly ready to bite his head off, he shook his head in annoyance and turned away from her so that he could focus completely on the kids. “I’m glad to see us getting along for them,” he sarcastically mumbled.

His statement infuriated her. She had a nasty reply on the tip of her tongue, but for once, she thought before she spoke and kept her mouth shut. It was safer to focus on Max and Addie. “Guys, start cleaning up so that we can start the movie.”

David was surprised when neither child whined or complained about cleaning up. A few minutes later, he found himself sitting next to his son, who had decided to plop himself in between his parents. Addie on the other hand, chose to sit at the far end by herself.

“Sweetie, why don’t you sit down here? We can make room for you,” Gillian called out.

Addie’s reply was short and sweet, “No, thank you.”

Gillian shared an ‘I told you so’ look with David before shrugging, “Well, if you change your mind…I’ll leave a spot for you right here.” She moved closer to Max, which caused Max to move closer to David. The sudden contact surprised him. He could have moved away, but his son seemed perfectly content to be at his side.

The kids only made it halfway through the movie. When he realized that they were both asleep, David turned towards Gillian. “How do you get them to bed?”

Stifling her own yawn, she said, “Sometimes I just let them sleep here. I used to carry them…but they are getting too big now.”

It was her own fault that she had been doing everything on her own, he knew it, but it didn’t make him feel any less guilty. “I’ll carry them in,” he insisted. “Show me where.” Before she could argue, he gently lifted Max into his arms.

Gillian watched as her son didn’t even stir. The image was something she thought that she would never see and she stared for so long that David had to call out her name to get her attention. 

Feeling like he was living a dream, he followed her down the hall and into the bedroom. “They share a room?” he whispered, as he took in his surroundings. The bright colored furnishings offset the white walls.

Feeling like he was judging her, she arched her brow, “There are only three…and I need to keep one for Piper.”

David let out a frustrated puff of air. Fighting with her required far too much energy. She pointed towards the blue wooden bed and David gently put the boy down. He watched as Gillian fussed with the covers and then tucked Max in. Across the room, in the purple wooden bed, they repeated the same process with Addie. Eventually, they found themselves awkwardly standing at her front door. Without the kids to distract them, the tension was back and worse than before.

“I’m not going to drag lawyers into this…” he told her. Before she could interrupt, he held up his hand, “We can work out a custody agreement on our own.”

She made a face and crossed her arms, “I don’t think we’re there yet.”

“Well, you better get there,” came his honest response.

“Can we at least agree to talk about it first? They don’t even know about you yet.”

“And whose fault is that?” he snapped. 

Gillian groaned and then covered her forehead with her hand. “Can we just not do this right now?”

He was ready to fire off a snappy retort when an idea popped into his mind, “You know it’s my birthday on Sunday…” Unsure where he was going, she looked up at him and squinted. “My agent sent me box seats to the Yankees game. I was going to bring West. Maybe I can bring the twins too.”

Gillian’s response was immediate. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

David crossed his arms which made his biceps bulge out of his dark t-shirt. “Why?” came his cocky question.

Distracted by his physique, she shook her head and tried to remember why, “You’ve never been alone with them.”

“So you think I’m not capable?” he challenged.

“I never said that.”

“But that’s what you meant.”

“No…”

“Come on…West and Addie will love it and it’ll give Max and I a chance to do some father/son bonding over baseball…”

Gillian’s stubbornness wouldn’t let her budge. “I just think it’s too soon!”

They continued to bicker until she let out an outraged sigh and then turned away from him. Getting along with him was impossible. She wasn’t sure how they were going to manage to co-parent.

“It’s my birthday, Gillian,” he begged. He had no moral qualms about guilt tripping her and it had worked in the past. “You owe me.” 

She refused to face him as she mulled over his words. She wasn’t ready for him to have the kids on his own yet, but how could she deny him now? His emotional manipulation was easy to fall for, and like always, she hated herself for it. “Fine,” she eventually relented. “I’ll ask them if they want to go.” David shot her a cocky, triumphant grin before she practically kicked him out of her apartment.   
__________

“Why can’t you come with us?” questioned Max. It was the day of the baseball game and as usual, the twins had opposite reactions to spending the day with David and West. 

“Sweetie, I have some work to do today…you’re going to have a great time.” Gillian zipped up his Ninja Turtle back pack and helped him put it on. “All your stuff is in here.” 

“Can’t I stay with you?” 

It would have been so easy to give in to her son. She wanted to grab him and never let him go, but it was too late. She would never hear the end of it from David if she didn’t follow through. “No,” she frowned in sympathy. “Addie is going to be there with you and you guys will have fun.” In defeat, Max’s head went down and Gillian tried to shake off the guilt that threatened to overtake her rational mind. 

“Can I knock?” asked Addie. 

Knowing that she couldn’t stall any longer, she unconsciously smoothed down her striped blouse and nervously fixed her hair. She then silently chastised herself for caring what she looked like in front of him. “Sure, go ahead.” The girl didn’t waste any time. She forcefully started banging on the door and Max soon followed. 

“Who’s making all that noise?” David teased as he opened the door. 

“It’s just us!” Addie answered. She went to go through the doorway, but her mother pulled her back. 

“What do we say?” warned Gillian. 

Addie sighed, but answered, “Please can we come in?” 

“May we come in,” corrected Max. 

The twins glanced at each other with a competitive gleam in their eyes and David chuckled in amusement, “Of course you may.” 

“They’re a trip,” he announced once they were all in the apartment. 

“You say that now,” she muttered. “Just wait until you spend the day refereeing their battles.” 

“I’m up for the challenge.” He flashed a confident smile in her direction.

Surprised at how ready he was to take the kids on his own, she eyed up his Yankees jersey and hat and reluctantly returned his smile. “By the way, happy birthday.” 

Shyly, he met her gaze and thanked her. Things were extremely weird between them. Neither knew how to deal with the turmoil they were feeling, so they masked it in fake niceness and polite behavior. “Uh…so I got them shirts, I hope that’s okay,” he said, as he reached for a bag. He pulled out two dark blue Yankees shirts and held them up. “They’ve gotta rock the blue.” 

Noticing that he was desperate for her approval, she nodded in acceptance. She was tempted to give him a hard time, just to be difficult, but she forced those thoughts away. When the twins went off to change, the couple was left alone and it again became apparent that they had no idea how to interact with each other anymore. 

“So…I packed everything they should need in their back packs…” started Gillian, “Sunscreen…extra clothes, snacks…um…they both burn really easily…so make sure you reapply if they are out in the sun.” 

She rambled off a few more things and David chuckled, “Anything else?” 

Gillian let out an annoyed sigh and looked around as she tried to think of what else he should know. “Max is allergic to Penicillin, Addie is allergic to bees…it seems like she’s growing out of it, but I packed her Epi-Pen just in case…do you know how to use it?” 

“I think I can figure it out,” he assured. The information was all new to him. He soaked it in, but was eager to put her mind at ease. “They’ll be fine. We’re just going to the Bronx…if we head to disease or bee infested areas, I promise to let you know.” Though he was joking, his tone also held a cocky edge to it that she took offense to. 

“I’m not going to send my kids off with someone they barely know without instructions.” Still feeling like she had failed Piper, she tended to overcompensate with Max and Addie. “I also don’t want anyone else around them.” 

David quickly objected with a sarcastic remark, “That will be rather difficult…in a crowd of 50,000 people.” 

Gillian was less than amused, “I mean here. Today. I would prefer if they got to know you without your girlfriend…or whoever else you’re hanging around here with.” Her snide remark was meant to anger him, and she was pleased when it worked.

David scoffed at her request. He wanted to argue and call her out on her possessive behavior, but he knew that he couldn’t. “Fine. We’ll do it your way. For now.” 

His threatening implication frustrated her. “Fine,” she huffed. “I’ll be back to pick them up after my meetings. Call me if you need anything.” 

“I will.” Then, more sincerely, he assured, “Everything will be fine. I keep West alive, don’t I?” 

Gillian wanted to believe him. She wanted to feel confident leaving them with their father, but she couldn’t. When she made it out into the hallway, she leaned up against the wall and tried not to cry. The idea of sharing custody made her feel panicked. What if, like their older sister, they too preferred their father over their mother? She couldn’t handle losing them and the chasm that had developed between her and David left her unable to describe that feeling to him.  
__________

“Aw, Max, what are they making you play?” David said, as he walked into West’s bedroom to find the boy sitting at a small table. He was surrounded by American Girl dolls and was serving them tea from a small china tea set.

West poked her head out from the closet and spoke for him. “He’s our servant.”

David didn’t see Addie, so he scanned the room until he saw her feet sticking out from underneath the bed. “Your servant? That’s not very nice.”

West disappeared back into the closet. “He likes it.”

“I’m sure he does,” came her father’s sarcastic remark. “Buddy, do you want to come hang with me until your mom gets here? Don’t let these girls boss you around.” The time spent with them during the game only furthered his desire to get to know his children. Though he already felt equal affection towards them, he found himself even more attached to the quiet boy who was easily bossed around by his sisters. He couldn’t help but think that the lack of father figure in his life had already shaped his personality.

Addie crawled out from under the bed and rested her chin in her hands, “He wants to stay here.”

David bit his lip, “How about we let Max say what he wants.”

Addie’s blue eyes narrowed. In his mind, he could see Gillian making the same expression. A small shiver went up his spine. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that they shared two children. Their DNA had combined to create two other people and it both amazed and terrified him.

For the first time all day, the little girl didn’t argue with him. The summer heat and the excitement of the game had taken a toll on her. Her eyes were droopy with exhaustion. Hearing the doorbell ring, he announced, “That’s probably your mom.”

Max tossed the tea cup and nearly knocked over the table as he stood up in excitement. “Mommy’s back!” He ran from the room just as West stepped out of her closet.

“Aw, I don’t want them to leave.”

Addie rallied her energy and stood up. “Can I stay here?”

“Can she, dad?”

Their similar pleading faces were almost his undoing. How was he going to manage being wrapped around both of their fingers? “You can wait here for a bit while I talk to her.” His suggestion was enough to keep the girls happy for the time being, so he followed Max and caught the boy just as he tried to open the front door, “Don’t open the door by yourself, what if it’s not her?”

Thinking that he was teasing, Max’s face lit up into a big smile, “It’s her.” 

David couldn’t help but smile back. “You’re probably right Maximus, but we still shouldn’t risk it.”

“Hey…that’s not my name.” Father and son had spent the day playfully going back and forth about the nickname David had coined for Max.

Feigning surprise, David widened his eyes. “It’s not?” Distracting, he opened the door without looking.

“That’s not mommy…” came the boy’s disappointed whisper. He quickly ducked behind his father. 

Glancing towards the door, David’s stomach dropped when he realized that his ex-wife was standing there. “Tea?” 

Without an invitation, she breezed right past him as if she owned the place. “This is…” she looked around the modern, open floor plan with an air of indifference, “a change.”

“What are you doing here?” he ground out. 

“A mother can’t stop by to see her daughter?” Tea acted like she had every right to be there and it stirred his anger.

“You haven’t seen her since Christmas. Why now?”

She opened her mouth to respond, but then Max stepped out from behind David’s back. Her gaze fixated on the child for a few long seconds before she smirked, “Who's this?” She stepped towards Max and ruffled his messy brown hair. “Aren’t you just a handsome boy.”

David’s arm went protectively around his son’s shoulders. “Why don’t you go play with the girls.”

“What about my mommy?”

“I’ll come get you when she gets here, okay?” Max wasn’t happy, but eventually listened, which made David sigh in relief.

“The girls?” Tea questioned with furrowed brows.

David groaned. His fingers played with his bottom lip as he pondered what to do. A visit from her was never a good sign. It was hard to mentally prepare for whatever bomb she was about to drop with the kids playing down the hall.

“West is friends with Max and his twin sister. I took them all to the Yankees game earlier.” He wasn’t going to tell her anything else.

“That’s cute,” came her absent minded response. “Oh. Happy Birthday.”

Instead of thanking her, he cut right to the chase,“Why don’t you just tell me what you’re doing here?” 

With her freshly polished nails, she pushed her long blond hair back behind her ears. Her wrist was covered in colored bracelets that clanked as they fell down her arm. “I already told you.”

David let out a bitter laugh, “We were in town for her spring break, you could have seen her then.” He didn’t want Tea out of West’s life, but he couldn’t stand to see his daughter hurt over and over again. 

“Tim and I were busy.”

His incredulous question quickly followed, “Too busy to see your child?” Tea had no response to that. Instead, she glanced around the apartment again. Gillian would be there any minute. The more time that ticked by, the more nervous David became. The two women were not exactly friends. “What’s going on? Just tell me so we can get this over with.”

“Fine.” She turned towards him and sighed dramatically. “People wants me on their cover for their ‘Mothers in Hollywood’ piece. Miller will be in it and I want West to be in it too.”

Her words made him smile in triumph. He knew she had an ulterior motive and he was happy to be proven correct. “No.”

“You can’t just say no!” shrieked his ex-wife.

“Actually, I can,” he cockily tilted his head. “Maybe you need to look up what full custody means.” When they not so amicably divorced, he offered to split custody with her. It was her decision to give him full custody.

“Her not being with me will raise eyebrows.”

“And you think her living here while you play house with your married co-star doesn’t raise eyebrows?” he growled.

Infuriated by his accusation, she slapped him in the arm, “He’s separated!”

Refusing to argue with her, David took a step back and sighed. There were times when fighting was worth it, and times when it wasn’t. He was a master of knowing when to pick his battles. “I’ll talk to West about it,” he finally decided. There was just far too much going on in his life…to add more drama to it would kill him. “She’s getting older, I think we should start letting her decide these things.”

Tea wasn’t opposed to the idea. “I’m sure she’ll want to do it. What kid doesn’t want to do a photo shoot?”

“I’m sure she’ll love hanging with the brother she rarely sees.” It was extremely hard to keep himself from lashing out at her.

Tea was about to say something, but she was interrupted by a knock at the door. “Aren’t you going to get that?” she questioned as she watched him awkwardly stare at the door.

A feeling of dread spread over him as he opened the door, but again, the face that greeted him wasn’t Gillian. It was Kyra. “Oh…” he blurted out in surprise.

“Happy Birthday!” his girlfriend exclaimed. She kissed him before he could move. “I know we aren’t having dinner until later, but you left your script at my place last night and I was afraid you might need it.”

“That’s um…” Looking down at her tight summer dress, he was distracted by her cleavage. It took him a few seconds to continue, “That’s so nice. Thanks.” He met her eyes with a genuine smile. “Now is kinda…not…” he started, but Tea soon interrupted him.

“Hi, I’m Tea,” she announced as she came to stand beside David. “You must be the girlfriend?”

Sending Kyra an apologetic look, he stepped aside so that she could come in. “Kyra, this is my ex-wife. She was just leaving.”

“Actually, I’m here to see my daughter,” insisted Tea.

Awkward tension surrounded them as the trio exchanged glances. “No, she’s not,” David argued.

Tea laughed,“Isn’t he just hilarious?” 

When he heard the sound of footsteps, David looked behind him to see Addie walking towards him. If the two women interested her, she didn’t show it. She spoke only to him, “I don’t feel good.”

David frowned when he saw that her cheeks had grown redder than before. “What doesn’t feel good?”

“Everything,” the girl sighed. She lifted her arms up and motioned towards him, “Pick me up.”

Her clingy behavior confused him. Effortlessly he lifted her up and she rested her head on his chest. He could feel her skin burning through his shirt. “She feels hot…”

Excited to meet her, Kyra came close and brushed a stray hair out of Addie’s face. “Are you sick, Adelaide?” The little girl closed her eyes and turned her head away. Confused, Kyra let out a nervous laugh, “I thought you said she was the outgoing one?”

David could feel Tea’s eyes on him, but he wouldn’t look at her. “I thought so too...” 

“Did you keep her in the sun too long?” Kyra asked. Her hand made circles across the girl’s back.

“No.” His monotone response hid his annoyance.

Kyra continued her line of questioning, “Was she sick earlier?” 

“I think I would have noticed...” insisted David. He felt suddenly defensive and didn’t know why. 

“Hello?” came a sharp voice. All three adults turned to find that Gillian had quietly crept into the apartment. Her face was impassive as she looked to Tea, but then it twisted to something else entirely when her eyes fell on Kyra, David, and her daughter.

“Mommy!” Addie whined.

Fighting down the urge to panic, he ignored the other women and moved towards Gillian. “I think she’s coming down with something…” he said in a quiet voice.

“I can see that.” Her retort was tense and snippy and everything he expected. “She gets clingy when she isn’t feeling well.” She reached out her arms and David handed her over. Addie was small for her age, but she looked huge in her mother’s arms.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” exclaimed Tea. She stepped closer so that she could get a better look at the little girl. “She has your eyes. What an interesting coincidence.”

“Tea!” David warned. “It’s none of your business.”

“Considering that you were sleeping with her during our entire marriage, I think it is my business. How many other kids are you hiding away?” She made a big show of scanning the apartment. “Maybe they are in here...” She opened up his hall closet and then closed it. “Nope.” 

Unamused by her antics, Kyra quickly interjected and pointed to David, “You said it was just a one time thing...with her...” She then looked towards Gillian and got a scathing look in return. 

“I never said that,” he defended. 

“I’m pretty sure you did,” his girlfriend insisted. She was clearly annoyed, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. 

“One time?” came Tea’s incredulous response. 

“This really isn’t the best time to have this discussion,” came his exasperated voice. He was standing in the middle of his ex-wife, his ex-girlfriend, his current girlfriend, and his daughter. He didn’t know who to talk to first.

“Your doe eyed girlfriend should at least know what she’s getting into,” blurted Tea. She looked to Kyra and then pointed at Gillian, “Just so you know...she’s always going to be the other woman.”

At Tea’s words, Gillian’s temper hit the roof. “Can I talk to you?” she snapped at David. “Alone.” Her intense gaze drilled into him until he nodded in agreement. He had no choice but to go after her. Looking like a child in trouble, he followed her into the kitchen. 

“I can’t believe you,” she whispered in a deadly tone. Her eyes were dark with fury. The room seemed to chill a few degrees as she stood glaring at him. A storm was headed his way, and all he could do was stand there and brace for impact. 

Aware that Addie was listening to every word, she kept her voice purposefully low. “You can’t even have them for a few hours without having TWO women over? Are you kidding me? I thought we had an agreement?” 

“I didn’t invite them here!” he whispered back. “They just showed up.”

“I give you one rule. Just one and you can’t even follow it.” 

“Are you even listening to me? I just said I didn’t invite them here!” 

It didn’t matter what he said. Her mind was already made up. Seeing Kyra with him and Addie had been a shock to her system and the only thing she could think to do was to lash out. “This was a mistake.” 

He wasn’t going to let her get away with her temper tantrum. “They had a great time!” 

“I’m sure they did,” she bit out. She was going to say more, but then Addie lifted her head up and whispered something into her ear. In curiosity, David watched as Gillian’s features softened and her eyes watered. 

“What did she say?” he wondered. 

Gillian licked her lips and then stared up at the ceiling. Her pride was hurt and looking at him only made it worse, “She said that her and Max love you.” 

Despite their argument, his face lit up, “She did?” came his shy question. 

“Yes,” sighed Gillian. Things were happening too fast. Nothing was within her control. 

“I love you too, Addie.” He moved close so that he could rub her back. “I really do,” he added, but this time, he was talking to her mother. 

She had to close her watery eyes to keep tears from falling. She had to get out of there. The room felt suddenly suffocating. “Are you filming tomorrow?” He nodded and she continued, “My call is at 6. Let’s talk about how today went then. I want to get her home.” 

“Will you let me know how she’s doing later?” His hazel eyes pleaded with hers. 

Clearing her throat, she said, “Yes. I’ll let you know,” before she left the room. 

David stood in the kitchen for as long as he could before he was summoned back into the foyer by his angry girlfriend.


	4. Chapter 4

Two weeks later

David fumbled around his kitchen as he searched for plates and utensils. His kitchen skills were so limited that most of his meals consisted of take-out. When he finally found what he was looking for, he smiled, “It was so nice of you to make me dinner,” he said, “But, we really should do it at your place next time…” He sat everything down on the small kitchen table and then shared a kiss with Kyra.

“At least I can see my table,” she joked. She went to work clearing the papers away as he set the table. A bundle of papers fell to the floor, so she picked them up and couldn’t help but read the first page.

When David glanced her way, he found her engrossed in the document. “Oh, sorry about that.” He held out his hand for it, but she stared at him in confusion and refused to give it up.

Her incredulous question soon followed, “You’re paying Gillian back child support?”

“Yeah,” he said, like it was the most normal thing in the world. “I got it all squared away with Andrew and Missy this morning.” Andrew was his divorce attorney and Missy was his accountant. The trio had worked for days to get the details figured out.

An attorney herself, Kyra’s analytical mind flipped through the pages. “Dave…this is a lot of money.”

“It’s five years’ worth.”

“I have clients with five kids who don’t pay this much in back child support…”

Abandoning his task, he took the papers out of her hands and tossed them onto the counter. “That’s including estimated hospital bills from their premature birth and private school tuition…plus the cost of living here...” he rambled. 

His girlfriend wasn’t satisfied. “Don’t you think that you should wait to see how things go before doing this?”

David’s brows furrowed. “Wait for what?” He didn’t understand what she was getting at. “They’re my kids.”

Kyra started to say something but then hesitated. Shaking her head didn’t rid her mind of the thoughts, so she ended up saying what she was thinking anyway, “That’s just it. Are they yours? Do you know that for sure?” He laughed in response, and unamused, she crossed her arms. “I’m serious. I think that you should get a paternity test. If she has nothing to hide then she won’t fight you on it.”

Instantly offended, his retort was quick, “they’re mine. I don’t need a test to prove it.”

Kyra was undeterred. “How can you be sure? You wouldn’t believe how many of my clients get roped into paying for kids that aren’t even theirs.”

He was quick to go on the defensive, “I’m not getting roped into anything. She doesn’t even know about this yet.” 

Noticing that he was angry, she ran her hand across his tense back. “I’m just trying to protect you,” she soothed. “This whole thing is weird. All the sudden, five years later, you find out about this? And it just so happens to coincide with the fact that her career tanked and she’s struggling to get by?” Keeping his mouth tightly closed, he listened to her words, but refused to think about them. “How can you really be sure they’re yours? How many guys has she done this to?”

His jaw clenched. “Stop,” he ground out. 

Thrown off by his reaction, she made a face. “Stop what?” She made her living arguing, and was not going to back down to her boyfriend. “Looking out for you? I’m just doing what your lawyer should have done in the beginning.”

“You’re not my lawyer, and she’s not out for some easy cash.” Gillian wasn’t perfect, but she wouldn’t do what Kyra was accusing her of. He had no doubts about that. 

“Do you still have feelings for her?” she accused. “Because it sounds like you do.”

“What?” Came his bewildered response. “I’m not doing any of this for her.”

It was clear that she didn’t believe him, “She lied all this time and now you’re defending her? It seems to me like you are doing this for more than the kids!”

David let out a groan. “Is this about what Tea said?” They already talked about all of this. He thought it was done and over with. Apparently…he was wrong.

“I just want to know if you have feelings for her…that go beyond the twins.”

“I already told you, whatever she and I had...has been over for a long time.” At least, that’s what he wanted to believe. He wasn’t sure about anything anymore. “Come on…can we eat?” he insisted, as he wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s focus on us.” Kyra’s eyes bore into his and hoping to appease her, he smiled. He wasn’t in love with her, yet, but she was nice and successful and, so far, their relationship hadn’t required a lot of effort to maintain, which was a welcome change.  
__________

Gillian had a manila envelope clutched tightly in her hand as she stormed across the studio lot in search of David. The envelope was bent and deformed from her intense grip. It grew even more so as each moment passed. Finally, she found him outside the makeup trailer. He was laughing with a group of female co-stars, but that didn’t intimidate her. She stormed right up to him and didn’t bother to apologize for interrupting.

“We need to talk,” she insisted. The group around her went silent at her words. “Alone.”

David let out a nervous chuckle and shared a look with his friends, “Can it wait?”

Gillian held up the envelope and his eyes went right to it. “No. It can’t,” came her angry response. “Unless you want to do this here.” Frustrated, she opened the envelope and was about to pull out the paperwork when he wrapped his arm around her waist and practically drug her away from the group.

Once they were a few feet away, he laid his furious gaze upon her. “Are you crazy?”

“Am I crazy?” Her hands shook with anger. “No, David, you are the crazy one.”

Paranoid, he looked around the lot and was frustrated when he saw people watching them with interest. “Why am I crazy?”

Letting her anger consume her, she shoved the envelope into his chest and wouldn’t let go until he took it. “$960,000? You really thought that was okay?”

Puzzled by her response, he looked at the envelope and then tried to hand it back to her. “Is it not enough?” His question was sincere.

Dumbfounded, she slid her hand over her forehead and fought the urge to scream. A courier had delivered the child support paperwork along with the check to her apartment that morning. She had been fuming ever since. “I don’t need your money!” He had taken it upon himself to declare that she couldn’t support their children. His assumption bothered her in more ways than one. 

“Sure you don’t.” Sarcasm dripped from his every word. “I’m sure you just woke up one morning and decided to get back on TV because you were doing just fine on your own.”

Gillian shook her head, “My financial status is none of your business. I never asked you for this.”

His own anger quickly reared its ugly head,“I never said you did! They’re my kids. They’re my responsibility.”

“You can’t just throw money at me like I’m some fucking call girl.” Her voice grew louder and louder. “I’m not taking the money!”

“Keep your voice down!” he snapped. Then, more paranoid, added, “can we not do this here?” They couldn’t afford for the conversation to get repeated.

His words didn’t deter her. “I’m not taking your money!” 

Infuriated, he let out a furious groan and put his hands on her shoulders. Taking big steps, he backed her up so that they were further away from the people around them. His looming frame shielded her from the onlookers. “The money is for Max and Addie.” Each word was clipped and harsh. “Stop being so fucking selfish and use your head. If you won’t take it, then maybe I’ll have to involve the lawyers after all, because you clearly aren’t thinking in their best interest.” Out of breath, he stared her down. His hands were still on her shoulders, holding her in place.

Gillian’s eyes were narrow. Her gaze darted between his mouth and his eyes. Suddenly, they were both overly aware of how close they were. His hot breath was burning across her face. The contact rendered her speechless. The temptation to bridge the small gap between their mouths was extreme, but somehow, she resisted.

“Take the money,” he urged. This time, his voice was low. He took his hands off of her and handed her the envelope. “They’ve already missed out on enough because of you.”  
He began to walk away and she was left with no choice but to take the envelope. With shaky breaths, she watched him depart and then felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment as she made eye contact with the crowd.  
__________

As the weeks went by, the summer days grew shorter and the weather grew mild. Following the same path that he took every week, he trekked across Central Park until he reached the playground that was closest to Gillian’s building. They weren’t feeling particularly affectionate towards each other as of late, so the park offered a nice neutral place to meet with the kids.

It was late afternoon and he spotted her with ease on the empty playground. As he made his way towards the swings, Addie was the first to greet him. “Hi David!” She was trying to swing on her own, but her little legs weren’t picking up enough speed. “Where’s West?”

“She had to go to a birthday party. You’ll just have to put up with little old me today,” he teased. The girl’s face broke out into a smile and it made him smile in return. He ducked around the swings so that he could stand beside Gillian who was pushing Max.

“Look how high I’m going,” Max called out to him. “I’m gonna reach the sky soon.”

“That’s great!” David responded enthusiastically.

“Can you push me, David?” Addie whined.

Beside him, Gillian made a distasteful noise with her tongue, “Adelaide, you just told me that you didn’t want to be pushed.”

“I want him to push me,” her daughter insisted.

It was clear that Gillian was annoyed, but he refused to tiptoe around her. “I’m an excellent pusher. In fact, I majored in it in college,” he deadpanned, but his joke got no response. “Come on…that was funny,” he insisted. Her face remained stoic as he started to push Addie on the swing.

Despite the fact that he was seeing her regularly during his visits with the kids, they were barely on speaking terms. Off the set, their conversations revolved around the twins and on the set, their conversations were strictly professional. Lately, she had even been letting him see the kids on his own, but he knew that she was doing it to avoid him, and not out of the goodness of her heart. 

Max and Addie, who were growing more and more affectionate towards him every week, chatted his ear off. He tried his best to pay attention and respond, but his mind kept drifting back to their mother He wasn’t stupid. He didn’t think for a second that their tension wasn’t affecting everyone around them at all times.

David cleared his throat and said, “I see that you cashed the check.” His tone was purposefully nonchalant.

It took her a long time to respond. When she did, she did so without looking at him. “I put it in a trust for them.”

He nodded in approval, but she didn’t see it. “Great. They can use it for booze and parties like all the other rich kids.” He was joking, but she didn’t realize it, and turned towards him with a lethal glare. “I’m kidding,” he defended. Then, he mumbled, “Christ…give me a little credit.”

“I don’t find it funny,” she bit out.

“Sorry,” came his cocky apology. In frustration, he looked up at the towering buildings and the tree lined street in front of them. The park separated the two sides of Manhattan, but it also separated them from each other. Like arch rivals, they stuck to their own sides of the city unless work or their children forced them to meet. It reminded him of the past, when things were twisty, tense, and just as complicated. 

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Addie said. David pulled the swing to a stop and looked helplessly towards Gillian.

“I’ll take her, you can push Max.” 

He quickly obliged and watched as the two walked towards the public bathrooms  
The girls were gone for a long time and Max and David were mostly quiet, until the little boy asked, “Do you hate my mommy?”

At first, he could do nothing but laugh. But then, as the question sank in, he slowed down the swing so that he could face his son. “No.”

Max scuffed his feet across the grass until the swing stopped fully. “Does she hate you?”

The space between David’s eyes creased in confusion,“Max…why are you asking this?” His question came out a little harsh. His son, with his big round eyes, stared up at him with an unreadable expression. “Come on Maximus…you aren’t in trouble…” David bent down so that he was closer to his level. “Hate is...just...it isn’t a very nice word. Where did you hear that?”

“Addie told me.”

In disbelief, he asked, “Addie told you that your mom and I hate each other?” Max nodded and then looked across the playground. David followed his gaze to see that Gillian and Addie were on their way back. With urgency, he said, “Listen, that’s not true. We don’t hate each other. Okay?” 

The boy nodded, but then focused on the ground. Shyly, he asked, “Do you promise?” 

“I promise,” David insisted, and then his heart sank. He had just entered their life, and already they had doubts about him. 

“Max, come on, our fort is ready,” the little girl called out. In a flash Max abandoned David and joined his sister on the jungle gym.

Their parents cautiously watched from afar. “I’m glad they have each other,” Gillian told him. “Most of us have to make a go of it on our own…they were born with a lifelong companion”. 

There was no hint of bitterness in her tone and the change threw him off, “They’re wombmates,” he teased, and was rewarded when she let out a soft, amused giggle. 

“You’re deep today.” 

The oppressive tension lifted and he felt like he could breathe a little better. “You know me. There’s not a superficial bone in my body.” She giggled again and the sound went straight to his chest. There was a time when his only mission in life was to make her laugh. How had things gone so astray? Max’s question randomly popped back into his mind and he decided right then and there that he wasn’t going to let their issues affect their kids.

“I have to pick West up around 5:00. Maybe we can all go get dinner tonight.”

“Oh,” came her surprised response. “That’s um…that’s really nice, but…I already have dinner plans.”

Feeling suddenly embarrassed, he awkwardly kicked at the grass, “What, do you have a hot date?” he joked with a nervous chuckle.

“Kind of.” Her response was not what he was expecting. He glanced at her and was unable to hide his shock fast enough. “Why is that such a surprise?” she asked in an accusatory tone.

David shook his head and moved his eyes back to the kids. “It’s not…I just…” His words trailed off as he realized that he didn’t even know what to say. A familiar feeling of jealousy crept into his chest and opened up shop. The thought of her dating someone else made him want to scream, but he fought hard to push the irrational thinking from his mind. “Maybe I can just take the kids then. West would love it.”

Gillian didn’t look at him as she responded, “They’re coming with me.”

His incredulous response was immediate, “On your date?” Her dark sunglasses were covering her eyes, so he could only imagine her expression. 

“His company is hosting a family night at a new restaurant downtown, so... I’m bringing them along.”

“You’re bringing them on your date?”

“That’s what I said.”

“No, you’re not,” snapped David.

At his statement, she turned towards him and crossed her arms. “Excuse me?”

“If I’m not allowed to have them around other women, including my actual girlfriend, then you’re not allowed to have them around random men.”

“You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do,” she spit out.

He fired off his reply as he turned to face her. “Oh, but you have no problem telling me what I can and can’t do?”

Gillian let out a disgruntled sigh. “It’s not the same.”

“The hell it isn’t!” Just when he thought that they could get along, she went and reminded him that it was next to impossible. He grew more and more furious with each passing second. “You’re a hypocrite. And I’m sick of it.”

“I am not!” she argued. However, it was a lie, and she knew it…but she would die before she admitted it. Especially to him.

“You know…I’m going out of my way to keep lawyers out of this, but you seem hell bent on forcing it.”

Each time he brought up the lawyers, she took it as a threat and her blood boiled. “You’re being ridiculous.”

“No,” he growled. “You are. I’m done groveling at your feet for a mistake that YOU made. If you want to bring them out with men, then I can bring them around Kyra…or anyone else I deem appropriate.”

Gillian didn’t respond, instead, out of the corner of her eye, something caught her attention. She turned and saw that Addie and Max were staring at them with crestfallen expressions. David followed her gaze and his face went white. He didn’t have to wonder if they had heard the argument. It was written all over their tiny faces.

“Told you,” chided Addie, as she turned to her brother. “You said it wasn’t true…but I knew it was.” With an attitude that was far too advanced for her age, she rolled her eyes towards the adults and then took off for the jungle gym.

Max, the more emotional of the two, looked at David as if he had committed the ultimate betrayal,“You promised.” 

David wanted to comfort his son, but it felt like his mouth was frozen in place. Before he could unfreeze it, Max glared at him and then ran off towards Addie.

Gillian moved to go after him, but then turned back so that she could snap, “What the fuck did you do, David?”

Rapidly, his eyes darted back and forth between the twins and the woman standing before him. “It’s not what I did,” he said in a defeated tone. “It’s what we did.” He could tell that she was going to start screaming at him, so he quickly added, “While you were gone, Max asked me if we hated each other.”

Her features instantly deflated. “What?”

David closed his eyes and sighed. “Addie told him that we hate each other. I promised him that we didn’t….” he waved towards the jungle gym. “Clearly they don’t believe us. I guess they’ve been paying more attention than we thought…”

She wasn’t angry at him. She was angry at herself, but her response left it unclear. “I told you that they were smart.”

David let a bitter chuckle slip from his lips. “Yeah well, it’s not true.” He watched as she pulled her sunglasses away from her eyes and instantly noticed that she was on the verge of crying. “I don’t hate you.” The statement was a reminder to her…and to himself. No matter how angry he became or how much she drove him crazy, he could never hate her. It was impossible. “Believe me, I’ve tried.”

Gillian actually laughed at his statement. She had to laugh. If she didn’t laugh, she would cry. “Me too.” Her tone held no inflection. She had been trying so hard not to fail her children, but it seemed like that’s all she was capable of doing.

“I guess we’ve really fucked this up, haven’t we?” he sighed. His guilt wasn’t any less menacing than hers.

Normal adults would have a heart to heart and get to the bottom of their issues, but David and Gillian were the opposite of normal. Instead of discussing things, they swept it under the rug, like they always had. “I won’t bring them with me tonight. You can take them out, if you still want to,” she mumbled. 

Accepting her peace offering, he nodded and pointed towards the kids. “I’ll talk to them at dinner. Maybe West can help me out.” 

Coming to grips with the fact that they were co-parents and that she would have to adapt, she slid her sunglasses back over her eyes and sighed. “That sounds good.” Letting him take control went against every instinct that she possessed, but she had to get used to it. 

__________

“Are you ready to go?” Kyra asked, as she made her way into David’s trailer. “I made us reservations at 5:00 and you know how traffic will be…” Her words trailed off as she eyed up her disheveled looking boyfriend. He was dressed in bright green gym shorts and a mismatched t-shirt. It stood out like a sore thumb against her sleek cocktail dress. “You’re not dressed,” came her distasteful remark. They were going to dinner and a show with some of her best friends and she did not want to be late.

David barely glanced at her as he dashed around the trailer. He haphazardly threw things into his duffle bag. “I’m going to have to take a rain check on tonight.” His mind was going off in a million other directions, so he failed to notice her disappointment.

“What? Why?”

When he felt like he had everything, he finally looked at her. “I’m sorry babe, I really am…I think I did something to seriously piss off the universe because today has been a shit storm.”

She really wasn’t interested in his day, so she didn’t bother to ask about it. “Okay…well, coming out tonight will take your mind off it.”

David was already shaking his head. “I can’t. I’ve gotta pick the kids up at camp and then stay with them until Gillian gets done filming.” Knowing that his statement was going to cause an issue, he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m really sorry.”

His apology was sincere, but Kyra wasn’t placated. “Why do you have to pick them up? Doesn’t she have a nanny for that?” Her tone made it clear that she didn’t have an ounce of affection towards his ex-lover.

“She hasn’t found a permanent one yet. The agency keeps sending her duds.”

“Isn’t there anyone else?”

Sighing, he pulled away from her and shot her his most charming smile. “No. Her mom is out of town…listen, this is just a fluke. She’s usually really good about working her schedule around them, but her scenes got pushed back for the weather and now she’s stuck here until it clears.”

“I’m sure she is. I’m sure this won’t ever happen again.” 

Her sarcasm was not lost on him, so he said the only thing that he could think of. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to do…they’re my kids.”

His statement set her anger off and she pulled away from him, “Why can’t your sitter watch them? She’s already watching West…”

David wouldn’t even entertain the idea. “No, I don’t want to dump two extra kids on her and I already told Gillian that I would do it.”

She glared at him for several long seconds before asking, “And I guess she still won’t agree to let me be around them?”

Running his teeth over his bottom lip, he looked away. “Yeah…I’m gonna work that out. I promise…I just need some time.”

Kyra sighed, “for a woman that fucked you over, she sure has you whipped.”

“Come on, Kyra….don’t start…” He picked up his bag and checked the time. The kids were going to be waiting at the school gate for him if he didn’t hurry.”

Ignoring him, she launched into a tirade, “So this is how it’s going to be then? Our life will be put on hold whenever she needs a last minute babysitter? You say you can’t even stand to be around her, yet you run to her side whenever she needs something.”

David let out a loud groan. “Jesus Christ. I’m their father. Not their babysitter. This is how it is now. We all have to adapt.”

“I don’t want to adapt!” she snapped.

Realizing that they were at an impasse, he frowned. “Okay.” He looked towards the door. “I have to get going…I’m really sorry…”

“No!” interrupted Kyra. “You need to figure out your priorities. I’m not your ex-wife. I’m not going to sit on the sidelines while you carry on a relationship with someone else. It’s either her, or me.” 

Her statement pissed him off. He wasn’t doing any of it for Gillian. He was being the father that he should have been all along. “She and the twins are a package deal…so I guess I choose her then.” His response was unemotional. Any woman who would make him choose wasn’t worth his time. “Lock the door on your way out.” Without waiting for her to argue, he stormed out. The trek up town was going to take a while. He didn’t have time to care about her feelings.  
__________

Mentally and physically exhausted, Gillian slipped off her clunky sandals as she stepped into her dark apartment. It was late, much later than she had anticipated. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed, but first…she had to find David and her children.

Silently, she followed the low sound of the TV into the living and was slightly surprised when she found everyone in there. West and Addie were covered in blankets and sleeping on the floor, while Max was sleeping on a pillow across David’s lap. He was awake, but hadn’t seen her yet.

Gillian’s heart ached at the ordinary scene before her. In that moment, she was struck with images of what life would have been like if she had done things differently. Would they have raised the children together? Would they be romantically involved? Would this be the sight she would come home to every night? Her mind drifted off, until she realized that his hazel eyes were watching her.

“You look like hell,” came his monotone greeting.

It was true. Her hair was wild with fallen curls and her character makeup was smeared. After filming all day and night, she was too tired to care how she looked. “So do you.” The TV put off just enough light for her to make out his dark under eye circles.

A bitter laugh came from his mouth, and then he blurted, “Kyra and I broke up today.” He wasn’t sure why he said it. Telling her wasn’t high on his priority list…and they usually skated by on blatantly ignoring each other’s personal lives.

Gillian’s features remained impassive and so did her tone, “I’m sorry.”

David sighed, “Yeah well. It is what it is.” His words oozed with bitterness.

Unsure why his bitterness was being directed at her, she sat down beside him so that they could continue to talk in whispered tones. Surprised by her movement, he arched a brow and she explained, “We can’t wake them up.” She glanced towards Max and then the girls before meeting his eyes again. “I suppose that your break up was my fault?” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the addition of two kids and an ex-girlfriend would put a strain on any relationship.

Because he was feeling depressed and resentful, he bit out, “Actually, it is.” But then, overcome with remorse, he shook his head, “No, it’s not.”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes and it gave her the opportunity to study his body. His lanky legs were pulled up on the coffee table. He had one arm over Max’s back and the other across the back of the couch. Despite his bleak emotions, he looked completely comfortable in her space…surrounded by her things and their children. “I don’t want to fight anymore, Gillian.” It was nothing that he hadn’t said before, but this time, his voice was soft and gentle and kind. She opened her mouth to argue that she wasn’t the only one doing the fighting, but his pleading tone stopped her. “Please?”

Letting out a sigh, she shut her tired eyes and nodded. “Neither do I.” When she opened her eyes, she met his, and a silent understanding passed between them. In the spirit of being cordial she asked, “Their first day of school is next Tuesday. Do you want to drop them off together?” 

Amazed that she was being so considerate, he played it cool, “That sounds good.” Extracting Max from his lap wasn’t easy, but he managed to do it without waking him up. “I should get going.” He looked towards West and made a face, “Though...waking her up isn’t gonna be fun.” 

Gillian’s gaze was upon her son. She smoothed down his dark hair and tucked a blanket around his body. After doing so, she motioned towards West, “You can leave her if you want. I can bring her over in the morning.” 

“Gillian, you should get some rest, you just worked all night.” 

“They’re asleep,” she insisted. “Besides, West keeps Addie entertained.” He didn’t want to impose, but eventually, he gave in. She felt like she could barely walk, but she followed him to the door anyway. “Thanks for taking over today...and I’m sorry...about Kyra.” 

David shrugged. “I’m not gonna lose any sleep over it.” 

Unsure if he was serious or not, she frowned, “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.” 

“I guess you will.” Out of habit, he brushed his hand against her back and then left without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love all your feedback! Is anyone Team Gillian in the fic? Does anyone feel for her? Or, understand what she did? Is anyone Team David in the fic? I'm just curious. Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

On a Tuesday, in early September, David and Gillian found themselves standing outside the elite private school gate on the first day of school. Like every other proud mom, Gillian was snapping photos. “Come on Max….look at me…” she coaxed. Addie had no problem posing beside her brother, but her twin brother wasn’t cooperating.

“Let him be, woman,” bellowed David. “He’s going for the cool aloof look. The girls will dig that.” 

Gillian rolled her eyes and promptly ignored him. “Sweetie, just one picture…” Finally, the boy listened, but only for a second. “Okay, I lied, two pictures. Westy, come get beside Addie.”

The 10 year old hesitated, so David motioned for her, “Come stand with your brother and sister.” He knew that the words were wrong as soon as they left his mouth, but it was too late to take them back. Gillian’s wide eyes met his in panic before she started laughing to cover up his mistake. Luckily, all three kids were too nervous and excited to fixate on them. They stood for one more photo before Max darted back to his mother’s side and the girls went back to their giddy conversation.

Distracted, David turned towards Gillian and mumbled, “Is it me, or do you feel like the opening act of a three ring circus?” Unsure what he meant, she followed his gaze to the crowd around them and noticed that they were being watched by several women.

Unconsciously, their bodies drifted closer to each other. They were stronger together, but were loath to admit it. “Maybe it’ll wear off…”

As she spoke, they watched as two of the women approached them. “Don’t bet on it,” came his monotone drawl.

“Hi, I’m Amber!” the older of the two women exclaimed. She pointed to her friend, “This is Claire. I’m head of the PTO…are you new parents? I don’t recognize you.” Her voice was sickeningly sweet. Her beady eyes swept up and down Gillian’s casual attire with her nose in the air and it instantly rubbed Gillian the wrong way.

“Well, at least not from the PTO,” Claire added. “You guys were on that 90’s show, right? What was it?” She turned to Amber and made a face, “ER?”

“Oh, yes. ER,” Amber repeated. “I loved that show.” 

“That’s us,” came David’s sarcastic response. “We starred in ER…it’s our claim to fame.” He shared a knowing smirk with Gillian as he continued,“I just love that George Clooney, don’t you?” 

Instantly amused by him, Amber glanced at the kids, who were all dressed in variations of the school’s blue and white uniforms, before turning back to him. “Aren’t you guys in that new show, too? The one about the lawyers?”

“Something like that,” joked David. As the awkward conversation lulled, Amber and Claire eyed up the children again. Their inquisitive gazes made David and Gillian extremely paranoid and uncomfortable. With their new show starting soon, it wouldn’t be long before people were fixated on them again.

“Can I just tell you how precious your girls are? They look like your clones,” Claire told him.

Nervously, he chuckled and his cheeks flushed. What could he even say to that? Their secret wasn’t going to stay a secret for very long. Suddenly, Max grabbed his hand and Amber’s hawk like gaze noticed immediately. She glanced back and forth between Max and David before looking towards Gillian. The pair braced for the inappropriate questions that would surely follow, when a bell went off and the school gate opened.

“Look at that,” he mused. “Guess we’ve gotta go.” 

Amber was reluctant to leave, but was being waved over by her own children, so she had no choice. “You guys should come out to our first PTO meeting tomorrow night,” Amber said. “It’ll be fun. We’re planning on doubling our fundraising goal this year.”

“I’ll bet,” snapped Gillian. Her lips were pursed into a tight line. 

“We better go…” David effortlessly diffused the tension. “It was nice to meet you.” Max was still holding his hand, so he ushered the group through the crowd and towards the school gate. “Let’s not make enemies on the first day,” he advised. Happy to get away from the women, Gillian for once had no problem following him with West and Addie in tow. 

Once the kids were settled and the parents were gone, they stood alone on the deserted sidewalk. “You okay there, mom?” He gently pressed, as he watched her stare endlessly at the five story brick building.

Beneath her sunglasses, her eyes were red and blurry. “I just can’t believe they’re in Kindergarten.”

Without thinking, he wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. When her muscles tensed beneath his hand, he quickly let go. “They’ll be okay…”

“I know.” She tried hard to shrug off the feeling of loneliness that swept over her. Her babies were not babies anymore…and soon, they wouldn’t need her at all. 

There was silence after that and David felt helpless. He wanted to comfort her, but things were too complicated now. “Do you wanna share a ride?” Right on cue, a shiny black SUV pulled up in front of them and he pointed towards it, “That’s my ride.”

“Wow, I guess we know who the diva is on set…” she joked.

“You mean you didn’t build top of the line transportation into your contract? He asked, deadpan. “It’s the least they could do, considering the shitty studio they’ve got us working in.

Gillian smirked at his playful antics,“Brooklyn isn’t good enough for you, Mr. Duchovny?”

“It’s no Vancouver,” he told her with a poignant look.

Thinking back to their younger years, her lips parted into a tiny smile. “No…it isn’t.” 

Even through their sunglasses their gazes locked and stayed that way. Eventually, he shook his head and started moving towards the curb. “So…that ride, do you want it?”

Not one for pondering decisions, she instantly moved forward. “Sure, why not.”

He opened the door and then stepped aside, “Well then, your chariot awaits.” She got in and slid across the leather seat to the other side. He quickly followed.

“Are we heading straight to Brooklyn?” the driver questioned.

David opened his mouth to say yes, but then thought better of it, and looked towards Gillian. “No…we better stop at Pinkberry first. My co-star here needs a non-adult pick me up.”

“Of course,” the driver responded. Soon, the black partition came up and separated him from his passengers.

Gillian felt her eyes well with tears once again. She blamed it on her hormones and her kids and tried not to think about the way his warm body felt brushing up against hers.

Two Weeks Later

“Dad…what is that?” came West’s disgusted tone. “That looks so bad.”

In response, David laughed and attempted to glue another piece of construction paper to the thick poster board. “It’s a tree…can’t you tell?”

“It looks like a mountain…” 

“I don’t know what I’m doing!” he exclaimed, in a hushed tone. His dining room table was covered in craft supplies. His three children were surrounding him. “West…I need your help.” His fake pleading was pitiful.

Dramatically, West rolled up the sleeves of her white school sweater. “Okay. What are we making?”

Addie responded before David could, “A family tree.”

“TWO family trees,” added Max. “Ms. Mills said we can’t share.”

“I figured that much,” muttered David. He was learning quickly that having twins meant doubling everything. Even the same family tree.

West took the poster board and slid it across the table. Arts and crafts weren’t her strong suit, but she felt that she could at least do better than him. “This can be the tree….and the branches can go here…”

“Don’t forget the pictures!” Addie yelled. She dug two envelopes from beneath the piles of crafts and handed them to David. He took them and flipped through photos of Gillian’s family.

“Gigi can go here,” West said, as she snatched a picture of Gillian from his hand.

“Gigi?” questioned David. “What’s that about?” His daughter’s love for Gillian was now a full blown obsession. 

“That’s what I call her.”

Addie was quick to add her two cents into the conversation, “I call her mommy.”

“Me too,” joked David, which made all the children laugh.

West glued the photo onto the poster and then motioned to her father, “I need their dad.”

Thrown off by her statement, he could do nothing but stare at her with a panicked expression. The ten year old didn’t understand why he was so silent. With furrowed brows, she eyed him up and then looked at the twins, “Don’t they have a dad?”

“Uh….you know….everyone has a dad,” he fumbled. It was the first thing that popped into his head. His palms broke out with beads of sweat. He prayed that the twins weren’t paying attention, but as he looked towards them, he noticed that they were listening to every word.

“What’s my daddy’s name?” Max wondered out loud. 

“You don’t know his name?” came West’s incredulous question. 

“He’s not here,” Addie said. She then turned to David, “Mommy said he doesn’t live here.”

David’s heart sank. The conversation was making him extremely uncomfortable. “When did she say that?” Is that how she explained why he wasn’t in their lives?

Addie shrugged,“50 months ago.”

David couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s a long time.” 

He was about to change the subject when West asked, “Wait, you’ve never met your dad?” It was clear that the twins had never thought much on the subject, because their faces broke out into similar lines of confusion, “why not?”

Desperately, David tried to deflect, “honey, it’s none of our business.”

His daughter didn’t take the hint, “But, how can we make their tree without their dad?”

It dawned on Max first, that their tree and therefor, their family, was incomplete, and he dropped his head into his hands so that he could peer up at David from the table. “David, why don’t we have a daddy?”

“You do have one,” argued West.

“How will we do our tree?” whispered Addie, “It won’t be good without a daddy…” Suddenly, out of nowhere, she burst into tears and the display of emotion shocked everyone. Max quickly sat up and wrapped his arms around his sister.

“Don’t cry,” the little boy comforted. 

The urge to blurt out the truth suddenly hit David hard. It took every ounce of his self-control not to do it. Anger fled back into his psyche again. Gillian had done this. She made him the villain in their story. How could he ever forgive her for that? “Hey…we’ll talk to your mom about it when she gets here, okay? It’s gonna be okay, we’ll work on the rest of the tree until then.” 

As luck would have it, there was a knock at the door and he was saved from the rest of the conversation. West jumped out of her chair in excitement. “It’s Gigi! I’ll get it!” She walked over to Addie and patted her back. “Don’t worry, Adds, I’ll ask her about your dad.”

David’s head whipped towards her. “West, don’t…” But it was too late. She was already gone.

Addie, whose tears had suddenly dried up, followed West, “I’m going, too.”

“Me too!” Max insisted.

Before David could process what was going on, he suddenly found himself alone. The sounds of the kids interrogating Gillian echoed through the apartment and he quickly went to intercept. When he stepped into the foyer, the look she sent him was lethal, but he wasn’t expecting anything less.

“Let’s talk about this at home,” she told the twins once she was done glaring at David.

“But we’re making our tree NOW!” Addie’s tone was adamant, and her mother pursed her lips in response. 

“Just tell us his name,” added Max.

West then said, “I can put it on the poster.”

Feeling flustered, Gillian looked at the kids and then with a desperate sigh, she motioned towards David. Taking the hint, he clapped his hands and distracted them. “Guys, you’ve got to get going. You have soccer tonight. West, take them into your room and start cleaning up.”

“But dad…” she pleaded.

“No buts!” came his stern response. “You pulled all that stuff out of your closet, now go clean it up.”

“Mommy…noooo….” Addie whined and pulled at her mother’s arm.

“Listen to David, please!” Gillian’s anxiety was building and building. She wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of questions and she couldn’t seem to get a grip on her nerves.

The kids complained for a bit longer, but eventually they left to go clean up. David was quick to offer up an apology, but she didn’t want to hear it. “What did you say to them?” she accused.

“I didn’t say anything.” At her incredulous look, he held up his hands. “I swear. You’re the one that asked me to help them with that stupid tree project…what did you expect to happen?” He wasn’t yelling, but his tone made it clear that he wasn’t going to take the blame.

“I didn’t expect to come back to this!” She crossed her arms and turned away from him. “What the hell am I supposed to do now? This isn’t how I wanted to have this conversation…”

“And…how exactly were you planning to do it?” came his cocky question. She turned back around and blinked at him. “I’m serious. When do you plan on telling them?” Gillian refused to meet his eyes. Instead, she stared at the wall behind him as if he weren’t even there. After a few minutes of watching her, he grew concerned. “Gillian? Are you okay?” She didn’t respond right away and his voice went up an octave. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He moved within her sight line to get her attention.

“Nothing…” she eventually said, but her pale features betrayed her words.

Concerned, his arm went around her shoulders. “Let’s go sit down…you don’t look too good.” He didn’t wait for her to protest. His height advantage meant that he could practically drag her away with ease. When they made it to the couch, her legs seemed to give out underneath her, and she plopped down in a heap. “Are you sick?” Fussing over her came naturally. He couldn’t help himself. “Do you need anything?”

Her head went into her hands and she leaned forward on her knees. “No…no…I just haven’t been feeling well. I think it’s just a cold or something.”

He glanced over her form in disbelief. Aside from being pale as a ghost, she didn’t look or sound sick. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes and then stopped before she could swat him away. “You’re not just faking this to get out of telling the kids, are you?” he deadpanned.

Ignoring his joke, she rolled her eyes and slowly sat up. “I’m not telling them, yet.”

“I can tell them if you want. You know, it’ll be awkward as hell, but maybe they should hear it from me.”

Gillian quickly shook her head. “No….I’ll tell them. When the time is right.”

David furrowed his brows. “And…when will that be?” His question came out nastier than he intended and he quickly tried a different approach, “I’m not trying to be an asshole here…but I’m already in their life. They should know the truth.”

“It’s not that easy,” she argued. She stood up, but then was overcome with a wave of dizziness and quickly sat back down.

“I’ll get you some water.”

“No! I’m fine…I just stood up too fast.” She knew his intentions were well, but her anxiety was too high. She couldn’t handle his hovering. 

Offended by her stubbornness, he sighed, “Fine.” He glanced around the room to make sure that the kids were still occupied before looking at her again. “I just think this needs to be done sooner, rather than later. For them.”

Her heart was racing and her breaths were coming in shallow pants. “You don’t think I know that?” she practically shrieked. “I don’t need you telling me what’s in their best interest. You seem to be doing that a lot!”

David was unable to hide his anger. “I’m their father! Or have you forgotten already?” Somehow, he managed to keep his voice low. “We need to discuss this. Soon,” he bit out.

“For fucks sake, fine. We can discuss it. Is that what you want me to say?”

Footsteps, that sounded like a herd of elephants against the wood floor, echoed throughout the apartment and David glanced towards the hallway and made an instant decision. Without warning, he pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her.

She was so stunned that she didn’t pull away. “I don’t want them to think that we are fighting,” he whispered into her ear. His warm breath made her skin tingle. Her mind was screaming at her to pull away, but his body felt so warm and comforting that she didn’t want to move.

“Okay! We’re done!” Max said, as he bounded into the room. “Can we go to soccer now?” Noticing their embrace, and not liking it, he nudged them apart so that he could climb into his mother’s lap.

“What about our trees?” Addie soon followed. 

Gillian shared a look with David. “We’ll finish it up soon, I promise.” The project was due the following Monday, which gave Gillian an entire week to figure out what she wanted to do. David frowned at her response, but the kids made the discussion impossible to continue, so he let it drop.

“Are you coming to our game on Sunday, David?” Max asked in a small, hopeful tone.

“It’s our first one ever…” Addie added.

Gillian corrected them. “Actually, the game is Thursday.” She then made sure that David was looking at her before mouthing, “And it’s not even a real game...”

David groaned in genuine disappointment. “It’s press day. They’ve got me scheduled for interviews all day.” He was fully aware the kids could hear him, but was speaking to her as if they couldn’t.

“I know, luckily I’m filming most of the morning so I won’t have to do too many.” She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her calendar. “It’s my day to pick them all up, too.” Like a twisted version of the Brady Bunch, they had been swapping school pick up duties for all three kids when their schedules allowed. It wasn’t conventional, but it was easy and the kids enjoyed it. Gillian slid Max off of her lap and then slowly stood up. She ignored David’s overprotective stare. 

Deciding to let him off easy, she said, “David has to work, but he’ll come to other games.” Predictably, the twins whined and complained, but she wouldn’t let them make him feel bad. “Remember what we talked about? Mommy and D...” Her eyes widened when she realized that she had almost said the word ‘daddy.’ Recovering quickly, she continued, “Mommy and David have to work sometimes, but we’ll try to come to as many as we can.” 

“Nice save,” David taunted, and then smirked when she sent him another glare.   
__________

The overly eager man who was interviewing David was nice and professional, but it was hard for him to concentrate on anything but his phone that kept vibrating in his pocket. It was press day and his schedule was brimming with mindless interviews. He didn’t have time for whoever kept calling. “Sorry,” he sheepishly apologized as he silenced it without looking.

Like any true journalist, the man’s interest was piqued, “Someone seems desperate to reach you.”

David let out a chuckle, but was too smart to respond to such a leading question. “Anyway, where were we?”

“Set dynamics. You were discussing what it’s like to work with Gillian Anderson again.”

“Oh…right. The dynamic on set is really great. Everyone gets along…and you know, Gillian is a great actress and she’s always professional…so you know…that helps. She comes to set ready to work and I admire that.”

“Things were a bit tumultuous when you both worked on The X-Files. Is it still that way?”

Again, David laughed. “A lot of those rumors were exaggerated. I’m not saying that we were best friends...but we weren’t killing each other. No…no…we’re good friends now. Uh…you know, it’s always hard when you work together for long hours, but we appreciate each other a lot more now.” His phone began to vibrate again and he sighed in annoyance as he pulled it out of his pocket. “I’m sorry…” When he noticed that it was the school calling, he frowned. Keenly aware that the interviewer was hanging off of his every word, he carefully said, “It’s my daughter’s school, I should take this.”

David didn’t wait for a reply. He walked away and answered the call. “Hello?”

“Is this Mr. Duchovny?”

“Yes…”

“We have West here in the office. School ended an hour ago.”

Confused, he checked his watch. “What? My friend was supposed to pick her up.”

“Ms. Anderson? We have her children here, too. You’re listed as their emergency contact. We’ve been trying to reach her.”

David put his hand over his face. “I’m so sorry…I don’t know what happened….” Did he get the day wrong? Was it his turn to pick them up? He racked his brain and then shook his head. No. He had seen her earlier and confirmed the arrangement. 

“Are you there?”

“Shit…sorry, yeah. I’m here.”

“Can you come pick them up now? If they are here more than two hours we have to alert the police…”

“What?” he snapped in frustration. “The police?” The idea sounded ludicrous. “Of course I’ll come get them…but I’m in Brooklyn…I’ll get there as soon as I can.” He ended the call and then immediately called Gillian. When she didn’t answer the first time, he called again, and then gave up. At first he was angry, but then worry quickly took over. Frantically, he double checked his phone to see if she had been the one calling. She wasn’t. All he had were missed calls from the school. 

“Can we go off the record?” David blurted out as he made his way back over to the interviewer. He waited until the man nodded and watched to make sure the recorder was turned off. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I need to go get my kids...” Realizing that he had slipped up, he shook his head. “My daughter, I mean.”

Eying him up with a curious expression, the interviewer nodded and stood up. Sensing that there was more to the story, he nodded. “I think I’ve got everything anyway.”

David opened his mouth to respond, but then he was interrupted by a red-headed female production assistant that jogged up to him, “Ms. Anderson’s assistant has a message for you,” she blurted.

“Can it wait?” urged David. He glanced at the interviewer and then the assistant, hoping that she would get the hint.

Unfortunately, she didn’t. “But, it’s urgent…she’s in the hospital.”

David felt his stomach drop. “What the hell happened? Is she okay? I just saw her a few hours ago.” His angry tone reverberated across the lot.

Slightly fearful, the assistant stepped back. “I don’t know. They were on location and she had trouble breathing. That’s all I know.”

“Trouble breathing?” He felt dizzy. “When did this happen?”

“I don’t know…”

“Well, then what do you know?” yelled David.

“I’m sorry, they sent me to tell you that she can’t pick up the kids at school, but it took awhile to find you and then they wouldn’t let me interrupt...”

“No shit,” he snapped, and then immediately felt bad about it. Anxiously, David ran his hands through his hair. “Okay…” He ran his teeth over his bottom lip and tried to get his thoughts in order. He couldn’t go around screaming at people.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the interviewer reaching for his tape recorder, so he shot him a glare. “This is all OFF the record!” he bellowed. When the man’s eyes widened, David added, “I have to go.” He fled the studio with quick movements. He didn’t know who to worry about first, so he focused on getting to the school as quickly as possible.  
__________

Later that night, David met Gillian at her apartment door and when he saw her, her pale features didn’t put his worried mind at ease, “Jesus…you should have let me pick you up at the hospital.” He took her bags from her before she could protest.

“I’m fine.” Her voice was hoarse. She took a few steps and then doubled over as a coughing fit overtook her body.

“Fine? You have Pneumonia.” Once her coughing subsided, he took hold of her arm and guided her towards her bedroom. “You’re not fine.”

“Three days of antibiotics and I will be.”

Not all that surprised by her stubbornness, he simply rolled his eyes and kept on walking. “Let’s just see how you do once you get some rest.” They stepped into her all white bedroom and it dawned on him that he had never actually been in there before.

He wanted her to get straight into bed, but she motioned towards the connecting bathroom, “I need a shower. I smell like the hospital.”

David groaned in response, “Can you even stand up for that long?” Gillian didn’t respond. She was already stripping down to her underwear. He knew that he should avert his eyes…but he couldn’t bring himself to. She caught him staring, but didn’t call him out on it. “I’ll just…wait here…in case you need help.” His statement was not at all suggestive, but she smirked impishly anyway.

“I’m surprised that you don’t want to wait in there with me.”

Her face was unreadable and her tone was even more so. Not sure what she was doing or what game she was playing, he quickly called her bluff. “I didn’t realize that offer was on the table.”

Her blue eyes darkened, but remained unreadable. Without saying anything else, she turned away and stepped into the bathroom. She left the door open and soon, a thick cloud of steam was floating into the bedroom. He didn’t know what he was doing. His body moved towards the bathroom before his mind could tell him not to.

“I’ll just sit over here in case you get dizzy again.” he called out, as he sat down on her make-up bench. He couldn’t make out anything in the frosted shower door, which was a slight relief…and a slight disappointment.

“How were the kids? How was their game? I’m so sorry about all of this…” she told him through the splattering of water.

“Stop apologizing.” 

Predictably, she didn’t listen. “I tried to have them catch you sooner…and then I had that shitty service at the hospital. It was pretty much a dead zone.”

“Gillian!” laughed David. “It’s fine. It all worked out. Their game went great. I mean…it was pure chaos on the field…and I’m not exactly sure who won...actually...they didn’t even have a winner. But that’s to be expected for their age.” He rambled on and on until the musky, but sweet smell of her soap wafted past his nose. Instantly, he was hit with memories of the past. She still liked the same scents and colors and clothing. He clung to that familiarity. Their lives had completely changed, but sometimes…it felt like no time had passed.

“Were they okay going down?”

“Are you kidding me?” he mused. “By the time I got them back here, fed them, bathed them, and then got their homework done, they were out like a light. West is asleep in Piper’s room, by the way. I hope that’s okay…”

“Someone might as well use it,” came her bitter reply. Instead of coming to New York for the summer, Piper had gone away to summer camp, which meant that Gillian wouldn’t see her until Christmas. 

Unsure what to say, David stayed silent. But, after a while, the room grew too silent and he again began to worry, “Are you okay in there?”

When he didn’t hear from her, he stood up just as she turned the shower off and opened the door, “Can you hand me that towel?” At first, the sight of her wet, naked body made him immobile. Luckily, his mind worked on auto pilot to grab the towel and hand it to her.

When she stepped out of the shower wrapped in the towel, their lust filled gazes locked, until another coughing fit broke the spell. David cleared his throat, “Let’s get you dressed and in bed.”

She didn’t argue as he led her back to her room. This time, he averted his eyes as she dressed into a simple set of cotton pajamas. When she finally crawled into bed, he   
helped her pull the warm comforter over her body. “I’m going to spend the night…I’ll just crash on the couch.”

“You don’t have to.”

He interrupted her argument before she could continue. “I’ll stay so that I can get the kids off to school…that way you can rest.”

“I don’t need that much rest,” she snapped, but her stubbornness quickly fizzled. She was too sick to keep up the fight. Still, she refused to admit that he had won.

“Just relax.”

“I don’t need to relax…”

David laughed and was about to respond, when he noticed that her eyes had fluttered shut. Like a child, she had fallen asleep mid-argument. Smirking, he turned off the lights and then left the room to stake his claim on her comfortable couch.  
__________

“I’m not wearing that,” Addie told David the next morning in a stern voice. Still dressed in her princess nightgown, she sat on her bed with her arms crossed. She refused to budge on the topic of what to wear to school.

The battle had been going on for several minutes and her father was losing his patience. “You don’t have a choice.” He held up two collared shirts in different colors. “It’s the blue or the white. That’s all there is.”

“I want to wear that,” she pointed towards West, who was already dressed in a blue and white jumper.

“You have gym today. You have to wear one of these.” He moved towards her and she crawled to the other end of the bed in defiance.

“I’m not wearing it,” she pouted. 

Helplessly, David looked around the room. He didn’t know how to handle his own child and it made him feel like an awful parent. “Addie...come on, we’re already running late.” 

“No.” 

Trying a different tactic, he raised his voice, “Adelaide. You have to get dressed.” 

“I don’t want to wear that!” 

In frustration, he threw the shirts onto the bed. “Okay. Fine. Then I guess you’ll be staying home today.” 

The little girl let out a loud cry and then shoved the shirts onto the floor. He was about to completely lose it, when Max walked towards his sister and put his hands on her cheeks. “We have gym today. You have to wear the gym outfit...just like me,” the boy pointed to his own blue shirt and matching shorts. 

In amazement, David watched as the little boy gently coaxed his sister into getting dressed. Addie rested her forehead against his and the twins shared a silent look before Max walked away. Ten minutes later, Addie was dressed and ready to leave and a bewildered David still didn’t understand what had transpired.   
__________

“Jesus, you scared the shit out of me!” came Gillian’s startled statement. The knife she held in her hand fell to the kitchen floor with a clang. 

David quickly apologized, “Sorry...I figured that you were sleeping, so I just used the key.” At some point, he had ended up with a key to her apartment. He couldn’t recall exactly when or how it had transpired, but she hadn’t asked for it back, so it remained his. 

Holding her left rib, she bent over and retrieved the knife from the floor. “What are you doing here?” Her tone made it clear that she wasn’t exactly thrilled to see him. 

“Uh...well, I left my sunglasses here this morning and I’ve got errands to run on this side of town before I get the kids.” 

Her eyebrow arched in disbelief as she dropped the knife into the sink. “You came over here just to pick up your Duane Reade sunglasses?”

“Well...” he started, and then lost his train of thought we he noticed her wincing. Suddenly, his words went astray, “You weren’t answering your phone....I was worried...are you okay? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” insisted Gillian, but the fact that she was doubled over in pain didn’t bode well for her lie. 

He went instantly to her side, “What happened?” 

“I cracked a rib coughing this morning...” she eventually admitted. “It’s fucking killing me.” 

Despite the pain, she stood upright and tried to act like nothing had happened, but he wasn’t going to allow it, “You cracked a rib? How do you know?” 

“I went to the doctor this morning. They took X-rays.” 

Her nonchalant tone infuriated him. “Why didn’t you call me?” 

“Why would I?” She moved away from him and tried to rummage through the cabinets, but his hand went to her arm and stopped her. 

“Gillian.” he snapped. “I would have taken you!” 

Fury, fueled by stubbornness, rose up in her gut. She didn’t need him. She didn’t need anyone. “I’ve done just fine getting through life on my own the past 40 years...I think I can manage.” 

David let out a bitter laugh. “Now I know where Addie gets it.” 

She quickly fixed her narrow gaze upon his, “What the fuck does that mean?” 

He stepped closer to her again and she backed away. Soon, she was trapped between his body and the counter. “It means, that you and our daughter are the two most stubborn people that I’ve ever met.” It was the first time that he had said the phrase ‘our daughter’ out loud. It sounded strange and foreign, but also....oddly right. 

It wasn’t supposed to be a compliment, but her lips creased into a proud smirk anyway, “So you finally got a taste of her strong will, huh?” 

“This morning. With her gym uniform.” 

“Wait until winter, when she wants to wear a bathing suit to the park.” Their conversation was strange. Their tones were angry and sharp, yet their words were not. They couldn’t let down their guards down enough to hold a completely civil conversation. 

Gillian suddenly began to cough and then let out a string of curses as pain ripped through her rib cage. Her coughing fit continued and before long she was sitting on the floor with tears running down her face. 

David watched helplessly as she started to sob. Each cry made her pain worse, so she cried even harder. It didn’t take long for him to jump into action and wrap his arms around her. “Hey...calm down...just focus on your breathing,” he soothed. He sat beside her and rested his head in her hair, “You’ll stop coughing if you just relax.” 

She kept crying and coughing and crying some more, so instead of drawing more attention to it, he changed topics, “I’m really learning a lot about the twins,” his smooth, husky voice continued, “It’s so strange…to hardly know anything about them, but, also know so much at the same time.” 

He wasn’t sure if she was actually listening to him or not, but he continued anyway. “Max and Addie have this weird twin bond thing going on. It seems like they can read each other’s minds sometimes. It’s freaky. And Max…he’s the only one who can get her to do something she doesn’t want to do. I know that he’s shy and all…but he’s a quiet observer. He’s always watching and learning...and he’s a little philosopher. This morning he asked me, ‘what are numbers?’ and then we spent the walk to school pondering that. I mean, what are numbers? I’ve never thought about it.”

Her breathing grew slower and slower as her body gradually relaxed. Pleased that his words were calming her down, he kept going, “And Addie, she’s a little fire cracker, but she’s got a huge heart. She’s five going on 15…though, I noticed that when she’s tired or hungry she gets clingy and cranky...and she’s easier to crack.”

Gillian rested her head against his shoulder as her body completely relaxed. Her coughing fit didn’t return, but she made no move to get up. “Max sleeps with his feet out of the covers, like you used to,” he mused. “And Addie can’t sleep without that ugly bear…what’s his name? Mr. B?”

“Teddy B,” came her quiet response.

Surprised that she had actually answered, he softly laughed. “Right. Teddy B. Bear. It’s a long name for such a small bear.”

“I still sleep with my feet out of the covers.” She went back to his earlier statement and his mind quickly caught up.

David pulled his head away from hers so that he could gaze down at her, “It used to drive me fucking nuts…”

“Because the covers would end up in a heap at the bottom of the bed and you’d wake up tangled,” she finished for him. Their eyes met, and his widened in surprise. “I remember more than you think,” she smirked. 

The air around them grew serious. Their conversations always had a way of turning serious fast. He wasn’t particularly ready for such a serious turn, so he joked, “That’s why I’m on the couch.”

Gillian made an amused noise deep in her throat,“Is that the only reason?”

At her implication, he smirked, “Maybe.” It was fun teasing each other, but his back was starting to ache from sitting on the unforgiving kitchen floor. With a groan, he stood up and then slowly helped her up, “Why don’t you go rest?”

“I was just making something to eat.”

David glanced at the various condiments on the counter. It looked like all the fixings to make a sandwich. Confident that he could handle such a task, he shooed her away, “I’ll finish this…then I’ll go get the kids at school.”

Eying him up suspiciously, she then crossed her arms. “I thought you had errands to run?” He already had his back turned and was working on her sandwich.

“I can do it later.”

She almost argued with him. The words were right there on the tip of her tongue, but at the last minute, she decided against it. He would only grow more persistent if she kept fighting him.

Sensing her surrender, he used it to his advantage. “I’m going to stay the weekend, to help you with the kids. I’ll just stop at my apartment and grab some things for West and I.” He didn’t look at her. He continued making her sandwich and when she didn’t reply, he smiled in victory.   
__________

The following evening, after spending most of her time in bed, Gillian walked on restless legs towards the living room. The kids had gone to bed hours ago, but David was awake with his eyes focused on the TV. Soon, he cooked some popcorn and invited her to watch a new release with him. Telling herself that she was just lonely, and bored, she quickly accepted his invitation. 

The movie played on, but at some point, she stopped paying attention. Instead, she asked the question that had been on her mind for a while, “Why are you being so nice to me?”

Having just stuffed popcorn into his mouth, he had to take a big gulp of his water before replying, “What?”

“You said that you didn’t want to see me unless it pertained to the kids.”

“Did I?” His question sounded like a joke, but he was serious. He looked up at the ceiling to try and think back to what he had told her. The summer seemed like so long ago now. The days since finding out about the twins had passed in a blur. He couldn’t accurately separate one from the other.

Ignoring his question, she continued, “This…” she pointed to the TV and then the popcorn bowl that was between them, “Doesn’t exactly fall into your duties as a dad.”

“Maybe I changed my mind.” His voice was emotionless, but his eyes weren’t. Gillian smiled in that particular way she had…that always made him feel like the luckiest man in the world. It made his chest ache. 

In a meek voice, that showed every ounce of insecurity that she possessed, she wondered, “Does that mean that you forgive me?”

His response was quick and painful, like ripping off a Band-Aid, “I don’t know if I can ever forgive you.” 

Stung by his honesty, her eyes watered and she looked away so that he wouldn’t see the way it affected her. Feeling like she had overstayed her welcome in her own apartment, she moved the popcorn bowl onto the coffee table. 

She was going to get up to leave, but his words stopped her in her tracks, “I never stopped loving you, though. I know that.” Confused, she looked at him as he explained, “It’s not like we broke up because we fell out of love.”

With a small sigh, she then licked her lips and averted her eyes once again, “Lack of love was never our problem.”

“What was it then?” It wasn’t his first time asking, and it probably wouldn’t be his last. 

Gillian’s brows furrowed and she shot him an incredulous look. Her instincts were telling her to flee the conversation before it grew dangerous, but it was too late, “You wouldn’t leave your wife.” Her response didn’t lack any bitterness.

David regarded her with an incredulous look of his own and then sat forward so that his body was as close to hers as it could get, “You never asked me to.” His words weren’t nasty or cocky or fueled with bitterness. They were just honest and genuine and he realized then, that maybe he hadn’t said them years ago…when he should have. Maybe…if he had, things would have ended up differently.

Slightly stunned, Gillian could do nothing but stare at him. Her mind couldn’t formulate a proper response and the thought of traveling back down that uncertain road with him made her stomach twist into knots. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to leave. She didn’t want to be alone. At least, not right now. Sharing another meaningful look with him, she grabbed the popcorn bowl and sat it on her lap. Eventually, she curled up against his side and his arm slipped around her.   
__________

It was the loud banging on the front door and not the harsh morning light filtering in through the living room windows that woke David. Beside him, Gillian stirred, but did not wake. At some point during their movie, they had fallen asleep. He had awoken with their limbs entwined. Carefully, he extracted himself and groaned as he tried to massage the kink out of his neck. The couch was not meant for two people. But, despite the aches and pains, he had slept soundly.

With messy hair, two day old stubble, and rumpled clothing, he opened the door only to find that he was face to face with a petite, black haired teenager. “Can I help you?” 

With a confused look, the girl tried to look around his lanky form. “Is my mom here?” 

“Your....mom?” he blurted. 

“Piper?” Gillian exclaimed. The noise had woken her. She came to stand beside David. “What are you doing here?” 

The teenager took one look at her mother’s wild hair and David’s rumbled appearance and then frowned in disgust. She sidestepped the adults and came inside. “I flew here.” 

“I can see that,” said her mother. Falling asleep in David’s arms and then coming to the door to find her daughter there waiting felt like a dream...or a scene from another life...one that she didn’t deserve. “You didn’t tell me that you were coming.” 

Sheepishly, Piper looked down at her black boots, “Well, it was a last minute thing...”

Realizing that something wasn’t right, Gillian looked her over with suspicious eyes, “Please tell me that your dad knows you’re here.” 

“Umm....” the teenager looked at her mother again. 

“Piper! You can’t keep doing that!” 

“I’m 15, mom. I can fly by myself.” 

“Not without our permission, you can’t! The emergency credit card is for emergencies only!” 

“Uhh...can someone fill me in?” David interrupted with an awkward chuckle. 

Letting out a shaky breath, Gillian said, “Piper, you remember David, don’t you?”

The teenager rolled her eyes, “I know who he is, mom.” Her fingernails were painted jet black to match her hair. She picked at them and didn’t look at her mother as she asked, “So you’re together? Again?” Piper’s indifferent tone made it clear that she didn’t really care to know the answer.

“Again,” came David’s nervous chuckle. “What do you mean again?”

Instantly, the girl’s blue eyes were upon him. Even with her dark hair and dark eye-make up, she looked just like her mother. “I’m not stupid,” she remarked and then looked towards Gillian. “Besides…dad told me all about it.”

“Did he?” came Gillian’s sharp retort. Sarcasm then oozed from her lips, “That was so nice of him.”

“At least someone keeps me in the loop,” Piper bit back. “I didn’t even know that you had a new boyfriend.” She looked to David again and then made a face, “But then, you didn’t tell me about the last one either.”

David looked at Gillian in confusion, but she refused to look back at him. Growing angry, and frustrated, she mumbled, “We’re not a couple.”

He quickly backed her up, “It’s true.” He knew that things were bad between mother and daughter, but he never imagined that things were this bad. It left him feeling uneasy. Feeling the sudden urge to stand up for her, he responded, “Your mom's been sick, so I’m just here helping out.”

If the teenager believed him, she didn’t show it. Instead, she picked up her bag and walked into the living room. Stunned by her attitude, Gillian quickly followed her, “Can we get back to the part about you flying all the way here without telling anyone?”

Piper was already bracing for the fight. Crossing her arms, she defiantly shrugged, “I told him that I’m not moving to Germany! I told him that I would come here instead….and he didn’t believe me. So. Here I am.”

Gillian frowned. She was still holding her rib cage protectively. All movement hurt, but she wasn’t about to back down, “Piper, what the hell are you talking about?”

“He didn’t tell you?”

“Obviously not.” 

The teenager’s features softened slightly at the unexpected news, but then she jumped right back into the argument, “He’s moving to Germany!” she snapped. “For work and he wants me to go, but no way! I’d rather live in this lame apartment than move there.” She looked around the small living room in disgust. “It’s like a prison in here.” The high rise apartment wasn’t what she was used to. 

Gillian’s hand went to forehead and rested there. A stabbing headache was forming around her eyes. Between the stress of being sick, the complications with David….and now Piper…she felt like her brain couldn’t process things fast enough. “You can’t just decide where you want to live…it’s not that easy.”

“You and Dad have been saying that it’s my choice for years.” 

Hesitantly, and a little bit hurt, Gillian said, “And you chose your dad.”

Piper had no argument for that. “I also chose Vancouver,” she eventually said. “Now I’m choosing New York.”

“And me?” snapped Gillian, as she took her hand away from her face. “Are you saying that you want to live here, with me?” she motioned around the apartment with her hand.

“Yeah,” Piper said, as if she were answering a much simpler and less life changing type of question. “I’m not moving to Germany, so I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

Disappointed by her response, Gillian’s lips formed a pursed line, “No, I guess you don’t.”

“I’m gonna go put my stuff in my room.”

“Your room is sort of…occupied at the moment,” David hesitantly replied. Both girls turned towards him in surprise. They had forgotten that he was even there.

“You remember his daughter, West, don’t you? She’s staying here with David, for the weekend.”

The teenager was quick to blurt, “In my room?”

“You haven’t been here since spring break,” came her mother’s incredulous response. “I didn’t see the harm in letting her use it for the weekend.”

Awkwardly, David quickly stepped in to ease the tension, “West can bunk in with Addie and Max. She’ll love that.”

Piper watched as he looked to Gillian for her silent approval. When he got it, he softly smiled, and the teenager threw her hands up into the air. “You said that you weren’t together!” 

“We aren’t!” the pair responded in unison.

It was clear that Piper didn’t believe them. “Whatever,” she groaned. “I’m taking a shower.”

When she left the room, David turned to Gillian and put his hand on her arm, “Remember that time I pissed you off by saying that I was glad that I didn’t have to pay for her therapy bills…”

Before he could continue, Gillian hit him with a glare. His lips parted into a playful grin and she couldn’t help but smile when she realized that he was kidding.

“Are you okay?” Examining her features, he noticed that she didn’t look well.

“Sure. You know, considering…”

Chuckling, he coaxed her into sitting down on the couch. “Why don’t I take the kids out today? That way you and Piper can figure stuff out.”

Gillian clicked her tongue and tilted her head up at him, “You don’t have to do that. I’m sure you have better things to do. Things are probably going to get a bit ugly around here…”

David was already shaking his head. “Hey, I told you that I was staying the weekend. I’m not going to go back on that.”

Feeling extremely tired, she shut her eyes and tried to fight off the memory of their night spent on the couch. “Hmm. Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Clutching her rib, she leaned back and tried to rest.

“Consider me warned,” he insisted. When he left the room to go wake up West, he realized that he had no idea what he was getting himself into. With her, or the children.


	6. Chapter 6

David had every intention of going back to his own apartment once the weekend was over, but then Gillian had an allergic reaction to her anti-biotics, which led to an unexpected ER visit, which led to a different antibiotic which made her feel awful. Soon, Sunday turned to Monday and Monday turned to Tuesday. It wasn’t until Wednesday that she was feeling better and by then, nearly a week had passed since he had spent a night at his own place. 

As he stood outside the school waiting for the kids, he realized that the routine that he developed with them would soon be coming to an end. A melancholy feeling settled over him like a dark cloud, when he thought about how oddly comfortable he was in Gillian’s apartment. It made no sense. It was smaller than his. Every corner of her place was crammed full of antique furniture and eclectic art pieces that she had collected over the years. With four kids and two adults the place was practically bursting at the seams and yet, he didn’t mind being there. Why was that? 

He was confused by his own thoughts and feelings, but didn’t have time to think too much about them before the bell rang and hundreds of kids swarmed out of the school like a hive of frantic bees. It didn’t take long to spot West and then, a few minutes later, the twins. From his usual spot away from the crowd, he waved at their teachers and then greeted the kids one by one. Max was sweaty and as usual, his school uniform looked like it had been through hell and back. The girls’ uniforms however, looked okay, which pleased David because uniforms were expensive and he was now footing the bill for three sets instead of one. 

Everything seemed normal and ordinary. It was just another Autumn day, until...it wasn’t. As soon as he asked Addie how her day was, the little girl threw her backpack to the ground. It hit the pavement with a loud thump and then she suddenly burst into tears. 

Startled, he pushed his sunglasses on top of his head and out of habit, felt her forehead. “What’s wrong?” Addie didn’t answer and he looked towards West with a panicked expression. 

“I don’t know,” West responded, with little sympathy. She was too distracted by her new IPod to pay attention to her father. 

Desperate, he looked at Max and was relieved when he noticed that the boy was already focused on his twin sister, “Are you still sad about the dance?” 

David furrowed his brows, “What dance?” Her sobs grew louder and as he glanced around, he noticed the nosy PTO mothers watching him. Feeling anxious, he ushered the kids up the street and out of the way. “Addie, what happened?” He wrapped his arms around her, but she didn’t stop. When he tried to pick her up, she fought him until he was forced to give up. Gillian’s apartment was only a few blocks away, so he grabbed her hand and tried to keep his chest from aching as she continued to cry the entire way home.   
__________

“I’m not going back!” yelled Piper. Standing in the kitchen with her hands on her hips, she glared at her mother and continued the same argument that they had been having for days, “I’m staying here.”

Feeling energized after days of being practically bed ridden, Gillian vigorously wiped down the countertops. “Your dad wants you back in Vancouver until he goes to Germany.”

“I don’t care what he wants,” snapped the teenager. Then, in a defiant tone, she added, “I’m not going.”

What little patience she possessed quickly ran out. “Piper, you need to get your ass back in school.” Abandoning the countertop, she threw the wet rag into the sink and turned to face her daughter. “This isn’t a discussion.” Having been a teenage rebel herself, she knew that arguing wasn’t going to help matters. Her instinct told her to just let Piper do what she wanted. It was easier. And if there was one thing that she was good at, it was taking the easy way out. Still, life didn’t work that way…and she knew that her ex-husband was not going to go down without a fight.

“You can’t make me go. What are you gonna do, carry me onto the plane?” came Piper’s sarcastic question.

With an exasperated sigh, her mother shrugged. “I’m sure that can be arranged.” 

With a glare, the teenager let out a high pitched groan, “This is fucking stupid! You always wanted me to live here!”

“I’m not saying that you can’t live here. I’m saying you and your dad need to work this out first.”

Piper wasn’t listening. Whatever adolescent angst that was plaguing her was clouding her mind. “He’s going to have to come get me then!” she warned. “Because I’m not going back.”

Tired of being yelled at, Gillian was going to yell right back, but then Addie burst into the kitchen sobbing and thrust her body around her mother’s waist. Their argument came to a complete halt, “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” The little girl lifted her arms up, desperate to be picked up, but Gillian had to shake her head, “I can’t lift you…remember my rib is hurt?” Her response made Addie cry harder.

It wasn’t long before David appeared in the doorway. “I don’t know what happened…she wouldn’t tell me.” His helpless tone sounded almost pathetic. “She came out of school like that and cried the whole way home. Max mentioned something about a dance but he wouldn’t say much more.” He felt suddenly compelled to make her understand that he did nothing wrong. “They are freezing me out.”

Gillian rolled her eyes at him, but it was an affectionate gesture, rather than an annoyed one. “This is girl stuff,” she told him confidently. He shot her a confused look in return. “She’s not gonna talk to her da…” Realizing that she had once again almost said the word ‘dad’ out loud, she cursed under her breath and continued, “A guy about it.”

David was too concerned to tease her about her slip up. With a large crease in between his brows he asked, “How do you know?”

“A woman just knows these things,” came her cryptic response. “I’ll be back.” Feeling confident that she could at least solve one of her children’s problems, she took her sniffling daughter by the hand and led her out of the room. 

Realizing that Piper was standing there looking broody, David tried to engage her in conversation, “Am I the only one that’s confused?”

Since she arrived, they had been silently engaged in a battle of ignoring each other’s existence. Each time he tried to get her to warm up to him, she pulled further away, so he figured his best bet was to stop trying. So far, that strategy wasn’t working either. 

“She’s just a baby,” sighed Piper. 

Sensing that her statement didn’t accurately reflect her real thoughts on the subject matter, David tilted his head in her direction and decided to change the subject all together. “I’m taking everyone out to dinner tonight. We all need to get out. You can pick the place.” Briefly, her expression shifted from miserable to indifferent and he took that as a positive sign.   
__________

David was helping West and Max start their homework when Gillian eventually joined them with Addie. He stared at his daughter and was relieved to see all traces of sadness gone from her porcelain like face. Still feeling guilty that he couldn’t help her, he motioned for Gillian to follow him out of the living room. When they reached the kitchen, he leaned back against the counter with his arms crossed. “Is she okay?” His eyes painfully searched hers for answers.

Putting him out of his misery, she explained, “That little shit Maisie…” she glanced towards the doorway before continuing, “Has been picking on her lately.”

“What do you mean picking on her?” His tone remained even, but his jaw was clenched tight, “When did this start?”

Gillian side stepped around him so that she could pour some water into her bright blue ceramic tea kettle. “It’s not physical.” She turned the stove on with a click and the faint smell of gas wafted past her nose. “But she’s been teasing her since school started.” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught his incredulous gaze and she defensively held up her hands, “I already spoke with her teacher about it.”

His lips were pursed into a line so tight that his top lip was practically invisible, “And you didn’t think this was something I should know?”

She turned away from him then, and pulled a mug down from the cabinet. She went about the motions of getting her tea ready, fully aware that he was glaring at her back. “It wasn’t a big deal. Honestly. I haven’t heard anything about it in a few weeks, until today.”

Though he was instantly annoyed with her careless attitude, he was more concerned about his daughter, “Let’s call it what it is. It’s bullying. None of this ‘picking on her’ bullshit. What was she bullying her about?” She turned around to face him and her expression was flat. She quickly averted her eyes and it left him confused. “Gillian?”

With a sigh, she put her fingers over her temples and pressed down hard. She already had a headache from fighting with Piper. She sensed that it wasn’t going to get any better. “Kindergarten through second grade has a daddy/daughter dance next month…” 

David’s stomach dropped when he realized where the conversation was headed, he let out a low groan, but he let her continue on, “It’s that fucking tree project,” she vented. “I guess when they handed them in half done... Maisie jumped on that…and she’s been teasing Addie about it.”

He couldn’t control his outburst, “Fuck. Didn’t I tell you this would happen?”

“Both of their teachers told us that we could fill in the trees when we were ready,” she defended. Since she wasn’t ready to tell the twins, she and David had come to a mini accord and opted to tell Max and Addie’s separate teachers what was going on. It was a wise decision that they, oddly enough, hadn’t bickered over. 

The kettle let out a loud whistle and she jumped. She turned away from him again so that she could turn off the stove. “Anyway, the invitations to the daddy/daughter dance were handed out in school today…and Maisie told Addie that she can’t go because she doesn’t have a dad.”

“She does have a fucking dad!” he exclaimed, in a low tone that made her turn around. 

With a glare, she stuck out her chin, “Addie knows that.” 

“If you would just tell them the truth, then none of this would happen.” His blood was boiling at the idea that his daughter was getting bullied. The fact that she was getting bullied about him sent him over the edge. 

“I’m not ready.”

“So you would rather put her through this?” 

Gillian violently shook her head and refused to listen to him. She was too stubborn for her own good. “I’m not doing this right now.” She grabbed her tea and walked away. 

“I don’t know how much more time I can give you,” he ground out. “My patience is wearing thin.” His statement came out sounding like a threat and she shot him another glare before leaving the room.   
__________

“Dad, what are we doing here?” West’s curious question made David glance around the crowded restaurant. The place was far too touristy for his liking, but it was Piper’s choice and he was determined to keep his word. Switching his gaze to Piper, who was sitting directly across from him, he then focused on West, who was sitting beside her. “It’s nice here,” he lied.

The 10 year old frowned at his response, “I mean, why are you here.”

Pretending to be offended, he clutched his heart, “You don’t want me here?”

Instead of playing along like she normally would, she made a face, “Is Gigi your girlfriend?”

Her question hit just as he had taken a sip of his ice cold water. He coughed and sputtered like a fool. Max, who sat beside him, in between him and Gillian, patted his back. “Arms up!” he instructed, which made David laugh, and then cough more.

“You okay down there?” With an amused grin, Gillian moved forward so that she could peer around her son. The tense traces of their earlier argument still lingered between them, but they were getting better at keeping things cordial in front of the kids. 

David held up his hand. “Yeah, yeah…”

Unfortunately for him, West was not going to let him off that easy, “Is she, dad?”

He glanced towards Gillian, but she was feigning sudden interest in her menu, which meant that he was on his own, “No, honey. She’s not my girlfriend.”

West’s disappointment was evident, but it didn’t keep her from continuing, “Then what is she?” 

David sat his menu down,“Uh…well…she’s…she’s my friend.” The term sounded stupid, even to his own ears, but it wasn’t really a lie. What was she to him? Technically, a friend. Professionally, a co-star. Privately, the mother of his children, but how could he say any of that? It was obvious that West wasn’t happy with his response. Feeling uneasy, he reached across the table and grabbed her hand,“What’s wrong?”

The girl snatched her hand away and crossed her arms, “If she’s not your girlfriend, then why are you here?”

Finally understanding her earlier question, he let out a soft chuckle, “Remember I told you how we were going to help Gillian while she was sick?” 

“But, why?”

The corners of David’s eyes crinkled, “What do you mean why? I just told you why.”

In exasperation, West groaned. Max and Addie were staring at her with interest and for once, they weren’t interrupting. The questions had been brewing in her mind for a long time and she let them flow out all at once, “If she’s not your girlfriend, then why are you helping her? And how come she picks me up from school all the time like Emma’s dad’s girlfriend does? Why do you play with Max and Addie so much?”

David was at a loss for words. Gillian was watching the scene, but was also slow to formulate a response. The silence was their undoing. Piper jumped right in to fill the gap. “Ummm. Because he’s their dad. Obviously,” her statement was harsh, distinct, and loud. There was no mistaking it. Or avoiding it.

“Piper,” came Gillian’s terse tone, “enough!” Her eyes shot daggers in her daughter’s direction.

The teenager’s response was cocky, “Why?” She avoided her mother’s gaze to look at David, “It’s true. Isn’t it? You’re their dad.” She pointed towards her younger siblings so that there was no mistaking who she was talking about. 

“Who told you that?” her mother cried out. Her voice sounded desperate, bordering on panicked.

“Dad told me,” Piper volleyed back. “He also told me that you cheated on him with Davi...”

“Stop!” Piper’s last word were suddenly cut off by David’s barking tone. He didn’t raise his voice. But, he didn’t have to. Her mouth closed instantly as her eyes widened in shock.

For a brief minute, the table was completely silent. Again, the silence allowed them to lose control, “You’re Max and Addie’s dad?” West asked. She had followed every word of the conversation and wasn’t about to let it go.

Soon, West and Addie were both fixated on him with their nearly identical eyes and he was sure that panic was reflecting back in his own. He didn’t know what to do. Gillian’s gaze was burning a hole into the side of his head. He could practically feel her telling him to keep his mouth shut, but he wouldn’t turn to face her.

“You’re my dad?” came Addie’s timid question. Her bottom lip quivered in anticipation.

David knew right then and there that he wasn’t going to lie to them. He didn’t think it over. He didn’t consult Gillian. He didn’t take the time to plan out what he wanted to say. Instead, he looked at the girls and confirmed their questions, “Yes, I am.”

Addie’s eyes immediately lit up, “WE CAN ADD YOU TO THE TREE!” she shouted.

With cheeks red in embarrassment, Gillian shushed her daughter, “Adelaide!”

The girl lowered her voice and motioned excitedly towards her brother as she repeated, “We can add him to our trees!”

“They seriously didn’t know that?” questioned Piper.

“No,” Gillian snapped. Every word was crisp and lethal. “They. Did. Not.” 

Piper wasn’t all that sorry. “I guess I’m not the only one always out of the loop.”

“It’s hard to keep you in the loop when you refuse to come visit,” her mother bit out.

David was stuck in the middle of Piper and Gillian’s tense standoff, so he was too distracted to realize that West was calling out to him. She had to lean across the table, nearly knocking over their drinks in the process, to get him to pay attention to her. “You said Addie wasn’t my sister,” she accused, as if he had completely betrayed her.

“I said she wasn’t your twin sister….” he defended. Didn’t I? he thought. It was chaos around him. Piper and Gillian were bickering, Addie was still shrieking about the tree, and Max was tapping insistently on his arm.

“But, she’s my sister? For real?”

Feeling overwhelmed, David corrected, “She’s your half-sister.” He needed Gillian, but as he turned to her and met her angry gaze, he realized that he again wasn’t going to get any help from her.

“And Max?”

“He’s your half-brother. Like Miller.” Once West could wrap her mind around her new family dynamics, she turned her attention away from David and wrapped her arms around Addie. “You’re my sister, for real!” she said, in excitement. Both girls quickly dissolved into ear piercing shrieks that made him cringe. If they weren’t already the talk of the town, they would be soon.

“Girls!” warned Gillian. Without looking at her, West lowered her voice and Addie followed suit.

With the noise level down, David was able to focus on his son, who was still tapping on his arm.“How do you spell your name?” Max’s quiet voice finally broke through the commotion.

Attempting to give the boy his complete attention, he spelled out his first name and watched as Max wrote out the letters with crayon on a napkin. Max’s penmanship was surprisingly advanced for his age, and David couldn’t help but smile with pride. “What’s your name?” The boy repeated, which earned a confused frown from his father.

“I just told you.”

“Nooooo…your big name.”

“My big name?”

Max’s brows furrowed as he looked up at his father, “Max Aaron Anderson. That’s mine. You don’t have one?”

David chuckled, “Oh! I guess I do. David William…” his words trailed off as he looked around in paranoia. Then, quietly, he finished, “Duchovny.” Suddenly, he was petrified that everyone within ear shot was a tabloid journalist, but to his relief, no one seemed to be paying their rowdy table any mind.

“How do I write that?”

David slowly spelled out every letter and Max slowly wrote them down. When he was finished, he held it up in excitement, “Addie, I have it! This can go on the tree!” He waved the napkin around and nearly smacked his mother in the face with it.

Having reached the end of her patience, Gillian snatched it from his hand and glared at her son, “Decide what you want to eat.” The boy opened his mouth to argue, but her arched brow stopped him, “Now.”

With his teeth nibbling over his bottom lip, David sighed and then called out to her. She was clearly angry with him, and taking it out on the kids. She refused to meet his gaze. Instead, she said, “We are done with this conversation.” Her body was so tense and wound up that it looked like she would come undone at any second.

“Whatever you say, mom,” came Piper’s mocking response.

Not one to be intimidated by her mother, Addie ignored her and reached for David’s hand across the table. “My very own daddy.” She had to lean across the table to reach him and again the drinks came perilously close to tipping over, “Now I can go to the daddy/daughter dance! Now Maisie won’t be mean to me anymore.” 

Having no idea what to say to his overzealous daughter, he smiled as warmly as he could and tried not to look over at her mother. Seething heat was radiating off of her body. It was impossible to ignore. Letting go of Addie’s hand, he fumbled for his menu and attempted to get the kids focused back on theirs as well. The rest of their dinner continued in a tense manner and things didn’t get much better once they exited the restaurant.

Eager to flee the disastrous dinner, Gillian walked ahead of David with Max at her side. It was she who first stepped out onto the crowded 5th Avenue sidewalk, and it was she who was quickly swarmed by men with cameras. Like hungry vultures, they descended upon her and when David unknowingly stepped out behind her, their eagerness and excitement grew. Soon flashes were going off in her face and strange voices were calling her name. Having spent so much time off of the radar, she had completely forgotten what it was like to be swarmed by paparazzi. Even the start of their new show hadn’t drawn that much attention. 

“Come on,” David’s commanding voice broke through the haze. His hand went to her back and guided her forward. The men with their cameras didn’t clear a path, and he politely, yet, sharply, asked them to move.

Gillian tried to go forward, but Max had a death grip on her hand and was rooted firmly in place. Looking down at her son, she saw his panicked expression and tearful eyes and quickly went into protective mode. The longer they stayed in one spot, the bigger and more terrifying the crowd became. Soon, her anxiety was churning. Pulling her son’s hand, she tried to move him forward, but he wouldn’t go. Max started to cry and she felt completely helpless. 

In desperation, she looked towards David, silently begging for his help. A quick second of understanding passed between them, and then he effortlessly lifted Max up into his arms. “Get the girls,” he said, before briskly storming through the mob of photographers. It was a dreary night full of drizzle and wind, so they had called ahead for his driver to pick them up. Luckily, the SUV was there on time and he carried Max to the car and pushed the little boy safely inside.

Knowing a good story when they saw it, some of the photographers focused on David and Max which allowed Gillian the presence of mind to usher the girls around them. Piper scowled at her mother as if it were her fault that it happened. West and Addie were holding hands. While Addie looked worried, West was used to the attention and walked with an air of oblivious confidence that could only come from growing up in the spotlight. It was only when they were all safely in the car and speeding back home that Gillian was able to breathe normally.  
__________

The rain that had started off as a light drizzle had turned into a torrential downpour by the time they made it back to the apartment. A tropical storm was barreling up the coast which meant that they were in for several days of wind and rain. Pressing her forehead against the cool glass of her small bedroom window, Gillian took deep breaths. With each inhalation, piercing pains shot through her rib cage. She had done too much today, and would pay for it later. The rain splattered against the window and the wind rattled the frame. On any other day, the sounds would have relaxed her. But today, they just made her feel worse. 

Her apartment didn’t face Central Park, but Gillian preferred her East River view. It gave her the brief illusion of space and freedom, both of which she had taken for granted while living out west. Suddenly, footsteps entered the room and broke the silence. She could tell that it was David by the way he cleared his throat before speaking.

“I just called my publicist to give her a heads up…you should probably call yours as well.”

She gave her monosyllabic reply without turning to face him, “I don’t have one.”

“You don’t?”

“I never needed one.” Her rebellious nature mixed with her pride refused to allow her to go down that road.

Clearly startled by the information, David frowned in disapproval, “You’re gonna need one.”

Sharply, Gillian asked, “Why?” and then turned so that she could fix her intense eyes on him, “What did yours say?”

“She said that we’re fucked,” he deadpanned. When he realized that she wasn’t going to respond to his joke, he shook his head. “She said that the assholes were probably there waiting for someone else and caught us instead.” He had trouble looking at her. “She can’t stop the pictures from coming out, there are too many, but she’ll try to control the narrative.”

“It sounds like she’s got it under control, then,” came her cool response. She turned back to the window and raised her hand to the glass.

In frustration, he responded, “You know, Gillian, you’re going to have to face this. One way or another.” Her constant need to compartmentalize and run away from her issues drove him nuts.

“Why should I, when you’re doing it so wonderfully for the both of us?”

Ignoring her dig, David moved closer to her and continued, “This is only the beginning. Addie and West look too much alike…and now that the kids know, god only knows who they will tell when we aren’t around them.”

“And whose fault is that?” she accused. She seemed eager to start a fight. 

“We need to get ahead of this, before it gets bad. You need a publicist.”

Infuriated that he was ignoring her question, she whipped her head around and crossed her arms, “Don’t tell me what I ‘need’ to do.

As usual, her stubbornness sparked his anger, and soon they were in the middle of a heated exchange, “Fine. When the tabloids run wild with stories about you being a home wrecking whore, don’t come crying to me.”

“You’ll come out looking like the good guy anyway. You always do. So why do you even care?”

“Because we’re a family!” he snarled.

“Are we?” she countered in a cocky tone.

“We share children.”

“So?” she arched her brow, daring him to respond. When he didn’t, she continued, “If we were an actual family, you would have respected my decision to tell the kids when the time was right.”

“The timing would never have been right!” he fumed.

“It sure as hell would have been better than in a crowded restaurant before getting hounded by the fucking paparazzi.”

David’s eyes narrowed, “How is any of this my fault? Dammit, Gillian, I’m tired of lying to my kids!” 

In an instant, Gillian’s emotions flip flopped from being angry to being upset. The room felt like it was spinning. She had no control over anything and the feeling made her nauseous and panicked. Her anxiety was building and building. It felt like two giant hands had settled against her throat and were strangling her. She had to regain control. The urge to flee was strong, but there was no way to go. She was trapped. “I need you to leave,” she blurted out. 

“What?” In confusion, he stared at her with a blank expression until she repeated her plea. 

“I need you to go...” A little frightened, he stepped towards her, but she backed up until her body was pressed tightly against the window. “I can’t have you here anymore.” A panic attack was coming on. She could feel it and it made her even more desperate for him to go. “Please!” she begged. “Go home.” 

David opened his mouth to argue, but her wild eyes made him think better of it. He had never seen her that way and for the first time, he realized that his presence was making her worse instead of better. “Okay,” came his careful response. Slowly, like he was talking to an armed robber, he backed away, “West is already asleep, so I’ll just leave her here tonight.” 

He waited for her to respond, and when she didn’t, he grew more concerned. He couldn’t leave if she was going to have some kind of break down...he couldn’t do that to her...or their kids. 

Finally, Gillian nodded, “I’ll be okay,” she insisted, with her hand to her chest and her eyes filled with tears. “I just need to be alone. I can’t think with you here.” 

Trying to understand, but not really getting it, he shut his eyes and nodded. “Call me if you need anything.” Instead of responding, she turned towards the window and he left the room. Leaving went against his better judgement, but what else could he do? He checked in on his sleeping kids and then stumbled into the living room to gather his things. 

“She kicked you out, huh?” 

Startled by the sudden noise, he turned to find Piper standing in the living room doorway. Her face was bare of makeup and she wore a ratty looking band t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants. She looked much younger that way, and more innocent. He felt like shit, but he let out a low chuckle anyway. He picked up his lap top bag and tossed it over his shoulder along with his jacket. 

“You used to sneak out of our LA house in the middle of the night, too,” she said, dreamily, as if the memory had just come to her in that moment. 

David’s limbs felt heavy. He almost dropped his bag at her words. Looking at her in surprise, he replied, “You remember that?” She had been so small then. Nearly three when they moved to LA from Vancouver and almost 8 the last time he had seen her...before him and her mother parted ways. Before everything went to shit. The memories floated around his brain and made him dizzy. 

Her blue eyes bore through his for a second before looking away, “I remember a lot of things from LA.” 

Her statement was heavy and loaded with implication. He didn’t know what she was getting at and before he could find out, she turned and walked away. Bewildered, and bothered, and rather sad, he left the apartment. Downstairs, as the doorman hailed him a cab, he stared up at the tall brick building and wondered when it had started to feel like home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all the amazing feedback. I never intended to post this story, but two of my amazing friends encouraged me to take the leap and I'm so glad they did. This story is way out of my comfort zone and element, so it's been a lot of fun to really sink my teeth into writing this out. I hope that you are enjoying the ride. This is only the beginning. ;)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that this fic is rated M. 
> 
> Special thanks to A. You know what for. ;)
> 
> And remember....this fic is a long distance marathon, not a sprint. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

After days and days of endless rain, the tropical storm finally blew out to sea, leaving unseasonably warm temperatures in its wake. It was the type of day where no one wanted to be inside, least of all David, but he was stuck inside the dark soundstage anyway. Rehearsal had taken forever and he was happy when the director granted him his freedom.

On his way out, he passed a group of male and female assistants who were too engrossed in a juicy gossip session to notice his presence. They were standing in front of the double doors that blocked his path to leave. It was impossible not to listen to their discussion. Instead of asking them to move, he hung back and slipped into a corner. Instinct told him that it was a conversation that he should hear. 

“She fucks all of her co-stars, that’s what my roommate told me,” said Brenda, a short brunette woman, who looked too old to be a production assistant.

The 20 something man beside her laughed. “I’d hit it…that’s all I know.”

Brenda rolled her eyes. “I doubt she fucks assistants, Kevin.”

“You never know. I might get lucky. She was flirting with me yesterday.”

“Sure she was.”

“She was!” 

Paige, the youngest in the crowd, obnoxiously popped her gum and held up her phone to interrupt their argument, “What poor sucker did she use to have these kids with?” The group glanced at the phone and laughed. Paige read the headline of the story out loud, “Gillian Anderson, caught out in the rain with her co-star and kids.”

“I expected her kids to be way cuter than that,” Brenda cackled.

Following her lead, Paige also laughed. “And what the fuck is poor Dave doing with her? Don’t tell me she’s fucking him, too.”

“They’ve been fucking for years,” Brenda replied in a bored tone. “Her kids are probably his too. Well, maybe not that older one. She looks like she wants to murder them all. I can’t blame her. Can you imagine if Gillian was your mom?”

Paige studied the picture again and then let out an annoyed sigh. “Dave’s too good for that slut.”

“Slut or not…” said Kevin, “I’d still hit it.”

“Better wrap it up. You’ll probably catch something,” Brenda replied. 

Fed up with the conversation, David stepped out from the shadowy corner. His quick drawl was quiet, but effective. “Are you done?”

At the unexpected voice, the group turned to face him. Brenda was the only one who looked even the slightest bit ashamed. The others stared at him as if it was their god given right to say whatever they wanted to say. His dark, narrowed eyes, eventually registered, and Brenda quickly said, “Sorry Mr. Duchovny…”

David’s fists were balled. There were a dozen not so nice words that he wanted to spit out, but his self-control kept him in check. “Gillian’s personal life is none of your business,” he spat. For reasons that were confusing and beyond his control, defending her suddenly become his top priority. “Do. You. Understand?” Each word was emphasized as if they were children and he was their disciplinarian. Speechless, the group nodded and cautiously stepped out of his way so that he could leave. 

With an angry stride, he burst off the soundstage and stomped across the lot. His mood quickly plummeted. No matter what was going on between them, at any given point, he was not going to sit and let people drag her name through the mud. The fact that his children were brought into it added even more fuel to his burning temper.

Pulling out his phone, he fired off a round of emails in quick succession. He wouldn’t be pleased until every last one of the idiot assistants was fired. He didn’t care how bad it made him look or what it would do to his reputation if it got out. By the time he was done, and looked up from his phone, he realized that he had walked to the other end of the lot. Looking around at his surroundings, he frowned when he noticed that Gillian was sitting on the same bench where they used to meet for lunch. 

When she noticed him approach, she stiffened, so that her back was straight and rigid. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” She let her sarcastic remark hang in the air without following it up with anything.

With a scowl, he plopped himself down beside her, nearly knocking over her lunch in the process. His attention went right back on his phone, so he missed the glare that she sent his way.

Sighing, she pulled what was left of her chicken salad onto her lap. “Just make yourself at home.” 

“What are you doing sitting out here?” came his gruff question. Their ‘spot’ had ceased to be so once he found out about the twins.

She volleyed back, “I could ask you the same question.”

“Touché.”

His demeanor radiated anger and though Gillian still harbored her own angry feelings towards him, her curiosity led her to ask, “Are you okay?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but when he met her worried eyes, he quickly closed it. He couldn’t bring himself to tell her what people were saying. “Just a bad day,” he lied.

If she knew it was a lie, she didn’t call him out on it. “Well, this will cheer you up. Addie has officially invited you to her daddy/daughter dance.” Reaching down into her bag, she pulled out a folded piece of purple construction paper and handed it to him.

He didn’t hide his surprise. “She did?” With amusement, he unfolded the paper and grinned at what he saw. Inside, was a sloppily written invitation to ‘DD.’ He squinted as he read the lettering. “DD?”

The edges of her pink mouth curved into a hint of a smile, “Daddy David,” she told him. When he looked at her in confusion she held up her hands, “Don’t ask me! They came up with it.”

“Daddy David?” he made a face. “It sounds like a porno gone wrong.”

Gillian snorted. “So far I’ve only heard them use ‘DD’.”

“When did this start?”

“About ten minutes after you left on Sunday.”

David mulled over this new information. He turned the invitation over and then his lips parted. “Oh. Stickers,” he deadpanned. “How can I say no to stickers?” He grazed over the princess themed stickers with his thumb. “Guess she really likes me.” 

Gillian frowned in sadness. “They both love you...and you’re a great father. You know that, right?”

Unable to handle such a heavy compliment from her, he sheepishly grinned. With the invitation still tightly in his hand, he looked it over again and then nodded. “I’ll definitely go to her dance.”

Done with her salad, Gillian got up and tossed it into a nearby trashcan and then came back to sit down. “She’ll be so happy.”

“Now I just have to find the perfect party dress,” he joked. 

Because she was filming all day, she was still dressed in her costume, which consisted of an ordinary navy blue skirt with a plain white top. Her flip flops were the only exception. The pencil skirt left her pale legs bare and he couldn’t help but notice the way the muscles in her calves popped whenever she moved. It had been a few days, but the image of waking up with her body wrapped around his was still fresh on his mind. “How are they doing? You know...” He glanced around as if reporters were going to jump out of the bushes behind them. “With the whole daddy revelation?” As he whispered the word ‘daddy’ it dawned on him that someday, he would have to get comfortable saying it out loud.

“They’re taking it a lot better than me.” came her self-deprecating laugh. “So far they’re just excited to have their tree finished. I don’t think they really understand, yet.” 

Deep in thought, he nodded. His teeth ran over his bottom lip as he pondered the ramifications of their tree project. The private school was home to plenty of New York’s elite offspring. Everyone had skeletons that the school kept buried. But, would that last forever? How long did they have before the media caught wind of what was going on? Remembering how she had reacted on Sunday, he decided not to bring up the subject just yet. Instead, he asked, “And Piper? How’s she doing?”

Gillian glanced at her phone as she said, “Well, she should be landing in Vancouver in about twenty minutes.” At his surprised look she added, “She’s going to stay with her grandmother while she finishes the rest of the semester.”

“And then…?”

“And then she’ll be here, officially after Christmas.”

His hand moved to her leg and squeezed. “Gillian, that’s great.” He was genuinely happy for her, but his brows furrowed when he realized that she didn’t seem all that happy. “Isn’t it?”

Her soft sigh was her only response at first. She then shrugged her shoulders and played with the hem of her blouse. “It’s just…” her voice trailed off when she realized that she didn’t really know how to describe how she was feeling.

“A lot,” he finished for her.

With a grateful smiled, she nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I just need to process it all.”

“Anything I can do?” She quickly denied his offer by shaking her head. Not surprised by her response, he stood up. “Let me know if there is. We’re a team…a fucked up team...but still a team. That has to count for something, right?” His sense of humor made her smile, but the smile never met her eyes.

His sour mood had somehow evaporated. She had a way of doing that. Just being in her presence could usually calm even his worst storm. “Oh,” he added, as he pulled his sunglasses over his eyes. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, I finally told my mom and sister about the kids.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond before continuing, “They want to meet them…and they want you to be there, too.”

Gillian’s already large eyes grew even larger. “Are you fucking kidding me?” Her tone was part terror, part exasperation.

David held up his hands. “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

In a meek voice she whined, “Can’t they meet them without me?”

“Come on. What fun would that be?” he chided, and then smiled. “They’re harmless.” Gillian’s face broke out into lines of concern and he laughed. “They’ve always liked you.”

“That was before…”

“Before you kept my kids from me for five years?” Despite the serious topic, his voice was light and airy. Already, the ordeal was becoming something that he could joke about. How and when did that happen? “Don’t worry about it. My mom has been begging me for more grandchildren for years. She’ll be too ecstatic to kill you.” 

She shot him a playful glare. “And your sister?” 

“Well, she won’t kill you in front of the kids, anyway,” he smirked. He was enjoying their playful banter, but he had work to do and quickly left before she could argue any further.  
__________

“Stop fidgeting,” David told Gillian. The elevator ride up to his mother’s Greenwich Village apartment was ripe with nervous tension. Even the kids, whose reflections David could see from the mirrored elevator, were uncharacteristically quiet. 

“Are you guys excited?”

Out of the three, West was the only one that responded positively.

“Who are we seeing again?” asked Max.

“My mom and sister.” He had answered the question at least a dozen times, but he tried not to show his impatience.

Addie added, “What’s their names?”

“You know their names,” responded Gillian, in an exasperated tone. Her nerves made her cranky. 

“I forget!”

“It’s okay,” David soothed. He glanced towards Gillian’s reflection, but she wouldn’t look at him. “My sister’s name is Laurie and my mom’s name is Meg.”

“Laurie. Meg. Laurie. Meg. Laurie. Meg,” Addie repeated over and over in a sing song voice. “Can we write that down later?”

“We need it for the tree,” Max added.

“I thought your project was done?” asked their father.

“It is…but they’re obsessed,” muttered Gillian. Her hands were back to fidgeting with the thin gold bracelet she had on her left wrist. He didn’t even bother to tell her to stop, he knew that it would be useless.

“We’re here!” he exclaimed once the elevator chimed to the 9th floor. Acting like a gentleman, he let them all step out before he got out and then quickly raced ahead so that he could lead the way down the hall. 

Thirty minutes later, once introductions were out of the way, Laurie basically forced Gillian to help her get lunch ready and she was left with no choice but to oblige. 

“I hope the kids like sandwiches,” Laurie said in a nonchalant tone as she pulled a tray out of the refrigerator. “My mom didn’t know what to make so I stopped at the Deli this morning.”

“They aren’t picky,” responded Gillian in a terse tone. Then, more cordially, she added, “Sandwiches will be fine, thank you.” She had not seen Laurie in at least a decade, but the woman hadn’t changed much at all. Her hair was still dark and short and her rail thin frame showed no signs of aging.

“That’s good.” Laurie was overly polite, but Gillian wasn’t stupid. She knew that sandwiches didn’t require much preparation and she also knew that she wasn’t in the kitchen to help with the food. She was proven right when the woman turned towards her. For Gillian, it was like looking at David or Addie or West. The Duchovny genes ran strong. She felt suddenly weak and minuscule as the woman stared at her with an unwavering gaze. “I used to root for you, you know,” Laurie said.

Intimidated, Gillian’s mouth remained frozen shut, which was probably a good thing, because David’s sister wasn’t finished. “Even when he called me to tell me that he was marrying that woman...I told him, ‘Dave, you’re making the biggest mistake of your life.’” Laurie crossed her arms, revealing her toned muscles. “I never saw my brother happy, until you came along. You and that cute little girl of yours that he spoiled senseless. I used to tell him all the time to marry you. Everyone did.”

Gillian had never heard any of that before. Or, maybe she did. Her memory was shit, or at least, she pretended it was. Still, she tried not to look too surprised. Laurie’s features had remained impassive and she wanted to keep hers the same.

“I don’t know who to be upset with. Myself, for ever thinking that you were a good person, or you, for betraying my brother.”

Gillian’s cheeks reddened. Ashamed, she looked down at the mosaic black and white tile floor. “Laurie, I don’t expect you to understand...”

The older woman didn’t let her finish. “You’ve got that right.” Her eyes narrowed and her features finally morphed into lines of anger. “I’ll never understand how you could keep his children from him. He would have done anything for you…and those kids. How do you even sleep at night?” Shaking her head in disgust, Laurie turned back to the tray of sandwiches and fumbled with the plastic wrap. “And the worst part is, he still stands up for you! Even after what you did.” She picked up the tray and turned back to Gillian. Slowly, her features went back to stoic. “And you don’t even care.” 

Meanwhile, in the dining room, David wasn’t fairing much better with his mother. Meg was oddly quiet and he didn’t know what to make of that. Through the open French doors, they could see the kids playing on the terrace. Every once and awhile, he would get up to remind Max not to climb the wall, but other than that, he stayed rooted in his chair at the table, nervously waiting for his mother to speak.

“They look just like you,” she finally said.

David released a breath that he didn’t realize he had been holding. “Addie does for sure, but all I see is Gillian in him.” Max was examining a potted plant and David regarded him before turning to his mother, “Don’t you think?” Like a child, he felt desperate for her approval. He needed her to be okay with the twins. Her approval meant more than anyone else in the world.

Meg looked at him, “Don’t be fooled by their shape…he has your eyes.” David’s eyes widened in surprise and she nodded. “He reminds me of you when you were that age.”

“You think so?” He looked towards his son, but the boy ducked out of sight. He didn’t see what she saw.

“Absolutely.”

A thick silence fell between them. It should have been comfortable, between mother and son, but it wasn’t. The sounds of the kids chattering away outside served as a reminder of the elephant in the room. A few days ago, Meg thought that she had three grandchildren. Just three. Now, there were five…and two of them she didn’t know at all.

Feeling restless, David rocked back on his chair and glanced warily towards the hallway that led to the kitchen. Gillian and Laurie had been gone for a long time. Was that a good sign? Or a bad one?

“Have you discussed custody?” his mother asked, seemingly out of nowhere.

He let his chair slam against her ornate throw rug and it earned him a glare from her. “I told you…”

Meg took a sip of her iced tea and then wiped the condensation off of the glass with a cloth napkin. “Seeing them ‘whenever you want’ is not a real agreement.”

“We don’t have anything official, but so far things are going smoothly.”

His mother was quick to pounce on his words. “So far.” Frowning in disapproval, she continued, “You need to protect yourself.”

“Mom, I am,” he responded, like a whiny teenager.

“She could take those kids away tomorrow and what could you do?” David had no response to that, instead, he wiped his hand over his face. “That’s what I thought.” Disappointment practically oozed out of her features and it made him feel awful. Even as an adult, there was nothing worse than disappointing your parents, especially your mother.

“Do you want to get the kids in? We’re ready to eat,” Laurie said, as she came into the room with the tray of sandwiches.

Expectantly, David looked for Gillian, but she wasn’t there. “I’ll get them,” he said as he stood up. He craned his neck to try and see down the hall before stepping outside. By the time he came back, Gillian walked in carrying plates and napkins. They locked eyes and shared a moment of misery before sitting down with the kids.

After lunch, West took the twins to see the spare bedroom that their grandmother had turned into a playroom. The absence of the kids left too much time for thoughts and feelings to fester between the adults. “So, Gillian,” Meg started, “Is my son’s name on their birth certificates?”

Had it been anyone else…anywhere else…Gillian would have lashed out. In fact, the urge to do so was sitting there on the tip of her tongue, waiting to come out, but, the circumstances prevented such a reaction. She had never been one to bow down to authority, but David’s mother was staring her directly in the eyes, waiting for an answer, and she couldn’t find it in her to refuse her that. Licking her dry lips, she let out a tiny sigh and said, “No.”

David’s eyes went immediately to her and she sheepishly couldn’t meet his. Oddly enough, it was the first time the subject had ever come up. His sister did not miss the interaction. “You’ve never talked about this?” Then, with an incredulous snort, she added, “If his name isn’t on it, whose is?”

“I left it blank.”

“Blank?” Laurie snapped.

Gillian’s pale cheeks turned scarlet. Suddenly, the floor was interesting and she looked at it rather than at the adults around her. 

“Those poor little things…” Meg said, in a dramatic tone.

“What were you telling them about their dad all these years?” Laurie demanded.

Meg put her hand on Laurie’s small wrist so that she could interrupt her, “You’re going to have his name added now though, right?”

Across the room, Gillian’s eyes raised to meet hers. “I…I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Mom, this isn’t really the time to discuss this.” David finally said. David and Gillian were sitting on two arm chairs that were separated by a small end table. They were only a few feet away from each other, but it felt like more. He felt completely cut off from her. Divide and concur. Is that was his mother and sister were doing?

Meg arched a brow and then pushed a piece of her short gray hair out of her face. “You have no legal rights to your own kids, David.” His name came out like a motherly warning. “You two need to start discussing these things.”

“We’ve talked.” he insisted. He was growing impatient. Like a petulant child, he started tapping the heel of his foot into the ground. “I’m handling it.”

His mother was not about to back down. “Have you spoken with your attorney? Do you have a custody agreement in place? Are you going to have to pay back child support for kids you didn’t even know about?”

It was David’s turn to blush. Unsure what to say, he looked towards Gillian. To his surprise, she took over for him. “We came to an agreement on our own, without lawyers.” She rallied up a bit of confidence and crossed her arms. “I’m not going to keep him away from them.”

Laurie rolled her eyes. “Forgive us if we find that hard to believe.” 

David sighed. “Laur…come on...”

“Come on, what?” his sister volleyed back. She kept them from you all this time!” She was the younger sister, but that didn’t make her any less protective of her brother.

“Can I make an observation?” Meg asked in a stern tone.

David groaned, them mumbled, “I wish you wouldn’t.”

Ignoring him, she focused on Gillian. “Do you treat Adelaide differently because she reminds you of my son and you can’t handle that?”

“Excuse me?” Blurted Gillian.

“You clearly favor Max…we noticed right away.” She glanced at Laurie for reassurance and was satisfied when she received a nod. “You don’t seem to have any patience for her…”

“Are you kidding me?” Gillian stood up in a rush. With red cheeks and narrowed eyes, she glanced towards David. When he didn’t immediately jump to her defense, she let out a disgusted sigh and fled the room. The sound of the front door slamming shut soon echoed throughout the apartment.

David’s body was up and moving out of the chair before his family could say anything. “Is this really necessary?” He glared at his mother and sister before using his long stride to go after her.

“Gillian! Will you wait a second?” He bellowed in a loud whisper as he practically chased her down the hallway. Breathlessly, he met her at the elevator bay. “So you’re just gonna leave me here with the kids?”

“I can’t do this,” she said, as she quickly pushed the button. It didn’t light up the first time, so with shaky fingers, she banged on it until it did.

“They’re just looking out for me. They’ll come around.” As if she were a bird that would fly away, his hand went to her arm to keep her in place.

Shaking her head, she refused to listen. “No….I can’t do it.” When she turned to face him, her blue eyes were wild with emotion. “All of this…” She motioned around them with the arm he was not touching, “It’s all too much.”

She looked completely frazzled, like she were about to come undone at any moment, and yet, he found her sexy as hell. Her lips were moist and full and her nostrils were flaring. His eyes darted towards her lips once, then twice. When she noticed, her own eyes met his lips.

There was no hesitation, or moment of thinking. In one swift motion, he yanked her away from the elevator and soon her body was flush against his. He backed her into the nearest wall and then his lips attacked hers with ferocious intensity. She didn’t object. Instead, her tongue quickly met his and her hands went to his hair. Within minutes they were a tangle of limbs. The only noise was the sound of their pants and tiny moans, so they were startled by the ding of the elevator. 

Breathless, they pulled away simultaneously and looked at the elevator before staring at each other. Realizing what they had done, they both awkwardly pulled away. Wiping his sweaty palms against his jeans, David was the first to speak. “I’ll bring them home, if you wanna go.” 

“Um...” She smoothed her hair down and then continued, “Yeah...that’s a good idea.” Frazzled and flushed, she stepped into the waiting elevator before she could think about what they had done.  
__________

“You’re here, thank god,” Gillian told him in exasperation. 

David shut her apartment door and looked at her in confusion. “Am I late? I thought you said 6:00?”

“No, no…” she waved her hand to dismiss his worry. “She’s just been asking about you since she got home from school.” He was dressed in a new, dark suit. Noticeably impressed, Gillian looked him up and down. “You look nice.” His hair was styled and his face was clean shaven. 

His chest puffed slightly at her compliment. “You never know what single ladies could be crashing the daddy/daughter dance,” came his typical remark. Slightly amused, her eyes rolled playfully as she stepped towards him. Her small fingers moved to his black tie and pulled on the knot. “Geez, woman, if you wanted to choke me…all you had to do was ask.”

“It’s crooked,” she mused. Taking her time, she adjusted his tie until it was to her standards and then smoothed her hand over it. Neither had dared utter a word about their impromptu makeout session a week earlier. Both were hell bent on pretending it didn’t happen, but, as they soon discovered, pretending it didn’t happen was impossible. Both remembered all too well the way their lips felt as they crashed into each other.

He put his hand against hers to still her movements, but instead of releasing it, he pulled it towards his mouth and brushed his lips against it. Gillian’s wary gaze met his and they stood staring at each other in complete silence until Addie ran into the room.

“DD! You’re here!” she squealed, causing her parents to quickly pull apart.

“I’m really not a fan of that,” he mumbled in a low tone that only Gillian could hear. He would prefer to be called daddy or dad...but wasn’t sure how to make that happen.

“Tell her what you want to be called then.” When his face blanched, she smirked. “Not so easy, is it?” 

Unhappy that she wasn’t the center of attention, Addie grabbed his hand. “Do you like my dress?” 

Glancing down at her white and gold polka dotted dress, he grinned. “I love it. You look beautiful.” 

It was clear by the girl’s reaction that his compliment had made her entire day. “It’s new.” 

“Mine is too!” he joked. “Oh, I have something...for you. Hold on...” He let go of her hand and winked at Gillian before walking over to an end table and picking up the box that he brought with him. “Here you go, sweetheart.” David handed his daughter a small pink and white corsage. She beamed with happiness when he slipped it onto her wrist. 

When he glanced at Gillian, and noticed that she looked ready to cry, he shot her a worried look. “Is that okay?” 

She fanned her face to keep her emotions in check and nodded. “Let me get a picture before you go.” Seeing how happy he made their daughter made her suddenly question all her decisions. She had to bury those feelings away as she snapped a picture.  
__________

The apartment was lifeless when David made his way back after the dance. With his sleeping daughter in his arms, he crept through the dimly lit rooms unsure of what he should do. Down the hall, Gillian stepped out of her room and jumped when she realized he was standing there. “Fuck…I didn’t hear you come in,” she gasped with her hand over her chest. “I was in the shower.”

The blue silk robe that she had hastily tied across her waist didn’t hide much of her body and he didn’t bother pretending not to notice. Her wet hair, curly at the ends, was splayed across her shoulders like an old paper fan. He didn’t get to see her like this often. Make-up free. Un-styled. Raw. He liked it. “I can see that.”

The lust in his eyes caused her to lick her lips, a movement that he followed with rapt attention. “You wore her out, huh?”

Distracted, it took him a second to realize what she was talking about. When he did, he chuckled and looked down at Addie’s head that was against his shoulder. “I didn’t think it was humanly possible to fall asleep during a short cab ride…but apparently it is.”

Smiling, Gillian moved closer so that she could inspect her daughter’s sleeping face. “It’s way past her bedtime,” she whispered. “Plus all that excitement probably wore her right out.”

The smell of her shampoo wafted past his nostrils. Involuntarily, he shivered as tingles went down his spine. “Wanna hear something funny?” He waited until she arched an amused eyebrow before saying, “Maisie’s dad was a no show at the dance.” Gillian let out a faux gasp in surprise. “Supposedly he had food poisoning and couldn’t come.”

“That’s a shame,” she said, but her flat tone showed her true feelings. “Addie didn’t make her feel bad, did she?”

David chuckled so hard that his chest shook, but Addie didn’t even flinch. “Are you kidding me? She offered to share me with her. So I had two little dates for the night.”

Gillian’s eyes instantly lit up and her face reflected nothing but pride. “She’s so sweet.” 

Rubbing the child’s back gently, he then nodded in agreement. The air around them grew awkward and he fumbled over what to do next, “Should I....uh...put her to bed?” 

“Oh! Yeah...” Silently determining that it wasn’t worth it to wake Addie up in order to change her out of her dress, she slipped off the girl’s shiny gold flats. “Just put her in her bed, she’ll be fine in the dress for one night.” 

“Yes, Ma’am,” he teased. He now knew his away around, so he placed her in her bed with ease. The room was dark, and when he stepped back, he ran right into a petite, warm body. “Whoa, I’m sorry.” 

“Give a girl some warning next time,” gasped Gillian. She fumbled as she lost her balance and he quickly grabbed her waist to keep her steady. His touch burned through her thin robe like fire. Without thinking, she wrapped her hands around his shoulders. The unexpected touch sent a shock wave through him and soon, he had pulled her closer. His hard erection pressed into her body and she let out a low moan. 

“Oh, I’ll give you a warning,” he leered in a hushed tone. 

Her hands wandered down to his chest, tracing over each of the buttons of his shirt. Lower and lower she went until she stopped at the waistband of his dress pants. “Is that a threat?” 

His response was breathless. “Maybe.”

“Good.”

David didn’t let her say anything else before he kissed her. Before long, she had taken control. With hurried movements, she worked at the buttons of his shirt while leading him out of the bedroom.

They barely made it to the bed. Hands roamed and groped anywhere and everywhere, while his clothes were hastily thrown to the floor. David took his sweet time getting reacquainted with her body. His skillful tongue explored every inch of her, and by the time he reached her wet folds, she was already writhing above him. Two, three flicks of his tongue on her clit and she was grabbing the sheets and panting louder.

“Oh shit,” she moaned. David kept his sweet ministrations until her hand pushed his head away. “I want you inside me…” she managed to articulate. “Now.”

She could feel him smiling when he placed a soft kiss on her inner thigh. Smug bastard, she thought. 

“So bossy,” he teased, while kissing his way up her body. Agonizingly slow, he entered her inch by inch, giving her time to adjust to his girth. 

“Fuck,” she uttered. “Oh, I forgot how good...”

“I didn’t,” he said, grinning, but was yet to find a rhythm they both enjoyed.

“David… ah… I need you to start moving,” she pleaded. For once, she was content to let him have control. 

“Not yet,” he replied, and then moved his thumb over her bundle of nerves.

“Holy shit,” she yelped. “Move… now!”

He smirked. “I love when you get bossy,” he said and started moving his hips in unison with hers.

Soon they found their usual rhythm, and with each thrust their moans and pants grew louder. He muffled her loud moans and gasps with his mouth.

Keenly aware of her needs, his thumb found her center again. “Oh, fuck, I’m gonna… shit I’m close…don’t stop,” she was trying to be coherent, but words escaped her.

“Let go, babe,” he said, groaning. “Let go for me.”

His words and maddening ministrations were her undoing. With two deep, final thrusts, her body went rigid as a sequence of orgasms hit her. And not long after, mumbling a string of incoherent curses himself, he followed suit, emptying himself inside her.

Minding her petite frame, he collapsed on top of her, but still kept most of his weight to avoid crushing her. 

“That was…” he started.

“Yeah… it was,” she completed, feeling the same way. They could disagree in almost anything and everything. But not when it came to sex. At least in bed, they spoke the same language and were always in total sync.

Their bodies cooling off, David pulled the sheet up, covering them. Her head was cushioned by his soft chest and the after sex was making her drowsy with sleep. His breathing pattern was becoming slow and farther apart as well. Smiling lazily, he pulled her body closer, and placed one last kiss on her temple before joining her in dreamland.


	8. Chapter 8

The Autumn days passed by quick. For David and Gillian, who had begun the delicious process of relearning every inch of each other’s bodies, the days passed by even quicker. Their steamy encounters took place anywhere and everywhere and work was no exception. 

“We haven’t talked about Thanksgiving,” came his matter of fact tone, as he scrambled around Gillian’s trailer looking for his pants. He was already running late for a photo shoot and he was going to be even later if he didn’t hurry.

From the couch across the room, Gillian scrunched up her nose. “What about it?” In no rush to get dressed, she was wearing only her underwear and bra. The couch cushions were scattered at her feet, along with the throw pillows that had once adorned them.

Pausing as he zipped up his jeans, David looked at her curiously and said, “it’s in two weeks. If you guys are coming to LA with me, then we need to book flights.”

For a few seconds, it was clear that she had no idea what he was talking about. Then, suddenly, her mind went back to a fleeting conversation that they had shared a week earlier. “Oh.”

Pulling his shirt over his head distracted him for a minute, but then, his wary gaze was back upon her. “Is that a good ‘oh’ or a bad one?” he deadpanned.

Sheepishly, Gillian smiled and then looked down at her bare feet. “I didn’t realize you were serious...about that.”

His response was quick and held no inflection, so it was impossible to read into his words. “I invited you and the kids to join me in LA for Thanksgiving. Was I not clear?”

Feeling suddenly chilly, she shivered and then scanned the room for her sweater. “You asked me during sex,” she said, as if it explained exactly what she were thinking.

With a smirk, he watched as she got dressed. “Technically, it was after sex.”

Gillian rolled her eyes. The trailer was drafty with the November breeze. “I’m not a big holiday person,” she muttered. “You know that…”

“Yeah, but that was before.”

Her left eyebrow raised incredulously. “Sorry to disappoint, but giving birth to your children didn’t make me a completely different person.” The fact that he would make such an assumption made her want to scream. 

Old insecurities and destructive thoughts invaded her mind. She wasn’t the type of woman that he could make a life with, settle down with, or even love completely. She had come to that conclusion a long time ago. “The kids and I usually just stay home and keep it low key.” Her hair was wild from their earlier activities, so she stood in front of the mirror and tried to smooth it down. His figure was visible in the reflection, but she tried to ignore his puzzled expression. I left LA for a reason, she silently reminded herself. I left him before he could leave me. As she continued to ignore his intense stare, she held tightly to those thoughts. 

“So, you don’t want to come. Is that what you’re saying?” His top front teeth bit into his bottom lip as if he were trying to draw blood.

It was easy to avoid his reflection, but it was harder to avoid the disappointment in his tone. “They’ve had a lot of changes already,” she explained. She turned to face him and mustered up her courage. “I think it would be best if we keep things as normal as possible for them.” She couldn’t get caught up in him again. She couldn’t allow things to get any more serious. “For now, anyway.”

“And what about Christmas?” he snapped.

She let out a puff of air at his retort. “Can we just cross that bridge when we come to it?” Though their bodies were intimate, their emotions and thoughts were not. There were many things they kept to themselves and many more things that they swept under the rug entirely. It would all come to a head eventually. They both knew it.

David was ready to argue, but the ringing of his phone stopped him. When he looked at it and realized that it was his manager, who was likely angry at him for being late, he cursed under his breath and pressed the ignore button. “I need to go.” She waved him off with a flippant wave of her hand and he responded with a gruff groan.

__________

 

 

The Day After Thanksgiving 

“I wish you wouldn’t insist on meeting here,” David admonished. Clad in a baseball hat and dark sunglasses, he tossed a towel down on the warm Malibu sand and then groaned as he sat down.

Wearing her own, more expensive pair of sunglasses, his ex-wife briefly looked up from her book. “It’s a beautiful beach day,” came her chipper tone. “Look at that! Not a cloud in the sky.” She made exaggerated motions with her hands as she pointed towards the blue sky. “I thought you would appreciate it. The temperature is what, like…30 degrees back in New York?”

It wasn’t the beach in general that David had a problem with. He looked up towards the glistening cliffs where a dozen paparazzi were stationed and sighed. His appearance had sparked their interest and they were eagerly snapping photos and videos. “This specific beach, though?”

Tea adjusted her large wicker hat and then followed his gaze to the cliffs. “Oh!” she feigned surprise. “When did they get here?”

“I’m glad you use seeing your daughter as an opportunity to get in the press.” 

His sarcastic, biting remark, made her angry. “Like you’re some saint!” 

Eager to avoid a confrontation in front of the photographers, he ignored her and then glanced around in search of West, who had spent the day with her mother. “Where’s West?”

“Tim took them for a walk.”

“Of course he did.” David let his comment hang in the air for a minute before continuing, “Tim is just Mr. family man, isn’t he? Doesn’t he have his own kids?”

Tea tossed her book onto the nearby beach blanket and then focused on her ex-husband. “You’re so fucking grouchy today.” She brushed the sand off of her tanned feet and then continued, “Not that I can blame you.” Dramatically, she glanced around, a move that would surely draw attention to herself, and then lowered her voice so that it came out as a deep whisper, “I mean, parading your kids around London with that male model on Thanksgiving? Of all days...she picked turkey day? How tacky. Your poor kids look scared to death. You know, you really should file for full custody.” 

When he didn’t respond, Tea assumed that he was enjoying her rant, so she continued, “I know she must have some magical vagina or something…but everyone in town’s been talking about how fucked in the head she is for keeping your kids from you.” Her voice grew louder and more energetic as she added, “She must have been running her mouth to the wrong people...you know what I mean?”

Bewildered, he glared at her to stop her from talking. “What are you talking about?” 

“TMZ. What else would I be talking about?” When she read the confusion on his face, she let out a laugh. “Wait, you seriously don’t know?”

“Know what?” He snapped as his patience finally wore thin.

“Oh…honey, here.” She grabbed her phone and quickly scrolled through the photos that she had saved for her own amusement. She thrust the phone into his hand and watched as he scanned through the pictures. “Did you even know that your kids were in London?” The more pictures he saw, the angrier his features became, which only added fuel to her growing excitement. Eager to get him to join in on her shit talking, she added, “Let me guess, you didn’t know that she was with that guy, either?”

Without speaking, he handed the phone back to her and focused his dark, brooding gaze on the fierce surf. With every wave, the ocean pummeled the shoreline. For a second, he wished that he were beneath it. Surely drowning would feel better than this. He already felt like the air was completely sucked out of his lungs. 

Out of the blue, Tea abruptly changed the subject. “I wish you would just let me set you up with Scarlett Sinclair, remember? The one that I told you about.”

It took his mind a minute to register the change in topics. His features turned incredulous and his teeth clenched as he responded, “Tea, you’re the last person on Earth that I would take dating advice from.” He couldn’t decide if he was angry, or hurt, so he settled on angry. It was easier. 

His blunt, deadpan remark didn’t faze her at all. Instead, she continued as if he hadn’t spoken, “She’s tall. Brunette. Beautiful. She has a son, Arlo, but he’s so well behaved. The important thing is that she’s not a sociopath. Unlike... that bitch.”

In the distance, beyond the rocks, West appeared along the horizon followed by Tim and Miller. David had no choice but to cut her off again, “Can you stop, please?” He stood up, and then brushed the sand off of his pants.

With an innocent smirk she asked, “Stop what?” West was headed their way, but Tea continued anyway, “I told you years ago, that bitch is crazy. You didn’t want to listen. I still can’t believe that she kept those kids from you. That’s like…next level crazy…you know what I mean?”

“Who’s crazy?” West asked, as she came to stand in front of them.

“Gillian,” Tea instantly said.

“No one,” snapped David. He glared at his ex-wife before grabbing his daughter’s hand. “We’ve gotta get going.” They were headed back to New York that night. Just a few hours ago, he had been eager to get back to the city. Now, he was dreading it. But, he had to stifle his anger so that he could focus on his daughter.

“Why is she crazy?” West wondered.

Before her mother could answer, her father jumped in and asked West to go gather her stuff. Then, he turned his eyes on his Tea. “If you want another ‘family’ photo shoot to happen with her included, then you better shut your damn mouth.” He air quoted the word family with his fingers to get his point across.

Tea rolled her eyes, but it was obvious that the threat was something she took seriously. Shrugging, she then went back to her book and feigned indifference towards him. “I’m just surprised that you’re defending her. That’s all.”

David let out a harsh groan. “I wish everyone would stop saying that! I’m not fucking defending her.” It was impossible to keep his anger bottled up. He couldn’t unleash it on Gillian. Yet. But Tea...just happened to be in the line of fire. “I just want you to keep West out of this.”

“Fine, fine.” She waved her hand in the air like a queen would dismiss her staff. Tim and Miller were walking towards her and suddenly she didn’t care about her ex-husband anymore. “I’ll see you at Christmas.”

With his hands clinched into fists, David spat, “Sure,” and then walked off to get West.

 

__________

It was two days before Gillian saw David. Taking the cowardly way out, she had dropped the twins off at his place, only to rush out the door before they could talk. Now, however, she had to pick them up, and she was left with no choice but to talk to him. 

“So, can I come in?” she questioned, as she stood like a beggar at his front door. The fact that she had to ask was a blow to her ego, and she found it hard to recover. With a twitch of his jaw, David silently pushed the door wide open and then stepped away as she made her way inside. With the kids distracted, the two adults were left alone. It was not a good thing

“Uhhh….how was LA?” Gillian struggled to make conversation as she followed him into the living room. It was hard to miss the tension that filled the air. A storm was brewing. It was inevitable. When and where it would hit...was the question. 

“Fine,” came his clipped response. Instead of paying attention to her, he cleared off his built-in desk. Cleaning kept him from yelling. Neither of them said anything else for a long time. Eventually the silence grew so thick and so overwhelming, that he blurted out his next words without even thinking, “How was London?”

It wasn’t a question. It was an accusation, one that she had been waiting for, but not exactly prepared for. “It...it was nice.”

David let out a sarcastic snort, “I’m sure it was.”

“I take it you’re mad?” 

Her cockiness made him want to punch his hand through a wall. A loud thud echoed off the hardwood floor as he tossed a book off of his desk and onto the ground.“Mad doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

“It was a last minute trip…” she started, but his booming voice wouldn’t let her finish. 

“Don’t feed me anymore bullshit, Gillian.” His tone was lethal. “You can’t just take my kids to another country without telling me.” It wasn’t just the kids that he had an issue with. The images of another man’s hands all over her were burned into his mind. He didn’t even know who the man was, and yet, he wanted to strangle him anyway. 

She wasn’t used to the idea of having to consult anyone else when it came to the twins. She tried to use that as an excuse, but he refused to believe her. Ferociously, he shook his head. “No.” He lowered his voice slightly to keep himself from screaming. “You could have just told me why you didn’t want to come, instead of lying about it.”

Determined not to let him guilt trip her into questioning her own decisions, she crossed her arms and stuck her chin out. “I told you. The trip wasn’t planned.”

“The hell it wasn’t.” His anger slowly subsided and his mood soured. Over the past few days, his anger had kept the sadness from taking over. The shock of seeing her with someone else had bothered him more than he cared to admit. “You don’t hate holidays,” came his defeated remark. “You just hate spending them with me.”

Thrown off guard by his sudden behavior, she said, “that’s not true.” 

A self-deprecating laugh left his lips, “It’s not?” His sarcasm hid his deep rooted insecurity, but she saw right through it. 

“No!” Swiping at her pink lips with her tongue, she moved towards him. “It really was a last minute thing. I swear.” They were skating around the elephant in the room. Neither wanted to bring up the fact that she had been out with someone else. Bringing it up would make it real. Bringing it up would mean conversations...serious ones... that they weren’t ready to have. 

He didn’t want to look at her, but it became impossible when she stepped in front of him and ran her hands across his arms. Their eyes met and he was quickly sucked into her glassy orbs. They had a mesmerizing quality that he had never been able to resist. 

“I shouldn’t have taken them without telling you.” Apologizing had never come easy. Her words were all that she could manage. Regaining control of the situation was easy. Slipping her fingers underneath his shirt and up the bare skin of his back was even easier. 15 years later and they still knew how to manipulate each other. 

He didn’t want to forget about what she had done. He didn’t want to quickly forgive her, but his body was pulled to her like a magnet and his libido reacted even though his mind was screaming at him to stop. The familiar battle between his mind and heart waged inside of him, and as usual, his heart won with little fight. His arms quickly went around her and his hands drifted to her curves. 

“I actually have to go out to LA for meetings two weekends from now,” she murmured. When he bent over to hear her better, she continued, “I was going to have my mom stay with the kids, but you can have them...if you want.” 

David pulled slightly away so that he could look at her in surprise, “You’d let me have them all weekend?”

The hopefulness etched into the lines of his face made a knot form in her throat. “Yeah, I think they’re ready for some overnights.” 

Recognizing that her suggestion was more of an apology than a peace offering, he took her up on her offer and then possessively crashed his mouth against hers. Determined to make her forget about the other man, he kissed her until she was breathlessly moaning for more. 

________  
Two Weeks Later

David awoke to Gillian poking his naked chest. With a groan, his heavy eyes struggled to adjust to the dark early morning light.

“You have to go.”

“Wh…what time is it?” came his barely audible stutter.

She responded in an urgent whisper, “Almost 4:00.”

Sitting up, he squinted until he found the glowing numbers on her bedside clock and then flopped back down. “I don’t have an early call…” His voice drifted off as his body lost the battle to stay awake.

Gillian was sitting up, with a sheet wrapped around her naked body. “You have to leave before the kids get up.”

His arm snaked out from under his pillow and draped leisurely across her stomach. “Or…we could go for round three…” He playfully tried to pull the sheet away from her body, but she nudged his hand away. 

“I mean it.”

With a dramatic grumble, he rolled over and pretended that he didn’t hear her. Things weren’t great between them since Thanksgiving, but they still managed to fall into bed together a few nights a week. It was a destructive, familiar habit. 

“David!” insisted Gillian. “You can’t be here when they wake up.”

“Why?” he shot back. Not expecting his question, she didn’t have an explanation ready. He used the opportunity to his advantage. “You don’t even know, do you?” Sensing that her argument was weak, he turned back around and slid his hand under the sheet until it came in contact with the smooth skin of her thigh. Slowly, his hand crept upward.

Distracted by his ministrations, Gillian’s eyes fluttered closed, and when they popped open, the glowing clock brought her back to reality. Anxiety churned inside her stomach. “Stop!” she snapped. Max and Addie couldn’t see him. They were already questioning their relationship status and she didn’t want to keep confusing them.

Pulling his hand away, he let out a sigh. “Why?”

“I already told you.”

There was enough light for him to make out her stubborn gaze that was fixated upon him. Knowing from prior experience that there would be no changing her mind, he gave up and reluctantly crawled out of bed. Standing in her room, completely naked, with his mind still foggy from sleep, he tried to remember what he had done with his clothes.

“Shit. I left my clothes out there.”

From the bed, Gillian groaned. “Just be quiet!” 

“Yes, Ma’am.” 

Without turning any lights on, he managed to find his pants and underwear strewn across the living room floor. He haphazardly pulled them on while he searched for his shirt. His mind wasn’t working yet, but he distinctly remembered Gillian peeling it off of him. It took him much too long to realize that he wasn’t alone in the room. Feeling like he was being watched, he turned around to find Max staring at him. Startled, he backed up until he banged his leg into the table. “Ouch!”

“Are you okay?” The boy’s question was soft and shy.

His leg hurt like hell, but David shrugged it off. “I’m fine, buddy.” Max’s brown hair was standing straight up as if he had been electrocuted. “What are you doing out here? You look like you stuck your hand in a socket.”

“What’s a socket?”

David pointed towards the closest wall, where an ornate floor lamp was plugged in. What he didn’t expect, was for his son to go inspect it. “Max!” he called out in a high whisper. “Don’t go sticking your fingers in there!” Though his tone was light hearted, he nervously glanced around to make sure that they were alone. “Come on, let’s get you back to bed.” He was hoping that Gillian wouldn’t notice.

“I’m waiting for Santa.”

“Santa? You’ve got a long way to go for Santa…”

“It’s almost Christmas,” Max insisted.

“Not quite.” David hated to break his bubble, but there were a few weeks until Christmas, and that was an eternity to a 5 year old. 

“Do you know what’s after Christmas, DD? My birthday! And Addie’s, but this year it’s just mine.”

“Oh yes! January 4th…” January 4th, January 4th, January 4th…his mind chanted. January 4th was the day his life changed without him even knowing. What had he even been doing on that day 6 years ago? “I think you and Addie will always have the same birthday though, Maximus, that’s kinda how it works.” 

“No,” insisted Max. “It’s just mine. Addie wants another day.” 

Momentarily forgetting that he was supposed to be sneaking out, David frowned. “But, that’s not really how it works. You were born on the same day.” 

“She wants to be born on another day!” 

Entirely confused, David sighed. “Okay…” He was too tired to rationalize with his five year old. He opened his mouth to say something, but then his eyes caught sight of Gillian, who must have slipped into the room without them noticing. She didn’t say anything to him, she didn’t have to. Her glare said it all. 

Taking the hint, David gathered his things, “Buddy, I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Figuring that his best option was to leave before she could start yelling, he crept out of the apartment and then opted to walk home.  
__________  
Even with the afternoon sun poking through the clouds, the early December air was brisk. Autumn had ended suddenly, and with little warning. Wishing that she had put heavier jackets on the kids, Gillian tried to hustle herself and the three children home from school as quickly as possible. Her son, however, had others ideas.

“Why is he taking pictures?” Stopping in the middle of Madison Avenue, he pointed towards a man with a professional sized camera who was standing several yards ahead, and to the right of them. 

She wasn’t in the mood to give the man any attention, so she purposefully kept her eyes on Max. “I don’t know.” Her lie was quick and simple. It was easier than trying to explain the truth. Her public closeness with David, along with their new show, had catapulted her right back into the spotlight. Unfortunately, her children were now thrust into it as well. It was a career hazard that she almost forgotten about, and hadn’t really thought through when deciding to get back into the business. 

“Is he nice?” 

Her son’s breath was visible as he spoke and it sent her mommy guilt spiraling. “Sweetie, here, let’s zip that jacket up.” She zipped up his wind breaker and then pulled it tight around his neck. Beside her, Addie was spinning around as West held her hand and helped her twirl. “Come on, girls…it’s freezing.” As if to prove her point, a gust of wind blew hard against their backs. 

The girls screamed in frozen delight, and then, randomly, West went back to Max’s earlier question, and said, “I bet he’s taking pictures because you and my dad are boyfriend and girlfriend.” 

“What?” gaped Gillian. “No, no…we aren’t…and that’s not why he’s taking our picture.” Or, was it? her mind taunted. People at work knew that they were sleeping together. They weren’t exactly going out of their way to hide it, it wouldn’t be long until the media figured it out too. 

The pre-teen fixed her with a skeptical stare. “But he had a sleep over with you last night,” she said, and then, more confidently, continued, “While I was at Brooke’s, and Brooke’s mom said parents have sleepovers when they’re in love.” 

“How do you know that he spent the night?” 

“Addie told me.” 

“Max told me!” Addie cut in and then pointed to her brother. 

“Of course he did…” mumbled Gillian, as her gaze shifted to the little boy. 

“Are you in love, mommy?” Addie asked. “With DD?” Her little fingers were bright red from the cold and she shoved two of them into her mouth. 

Her mother gasped. “Addie, yuck! Get your dirty fingers out of your mouth.” 

“My tips are cold.” She didn’t remove her fingers, so the words came out as a jumble. 

“You’re going to be sick.” Gillian pulled at her hand until her fingers popped out. Within seconds, Addie let out a furious howl as the cold air stung her wet hand, and Gillian sighed as her patience ran out. 

The kids rarely acted up when it was David’s turn to pick them up. They always came home chipper and he never failed to regale her with tales of all the fun things that they had discovered on the short walk home. It was never that easy for her. Why was that? “Come on, it’s too cold to be standing here. Let’s go.” Taking hold of her daughter’s wet hand, she propelled them forwards. 

As if Max sensed that his father was on her mind, he repeated his twin’s question, “Are you and him in love?” 

“No,” Gillian insisted. Lying to her five year old was a lot easier than lying to her 15 year old. 

Addie looked up at her with a smile, “Are you getting married?” 

“If you get married, can I be in the wedding?” West added. 

Addie was quick to jump in, “I want to be in it, too.” 

Not to be outdone by his sisters, Max asked, “Is he going to live with us now?” 

The conversation shouldn’t have terrified her. They were kids and kids asked these kind of questions, but the problem was, that she wasn’t ready to answer them...or even think about them. She and David would never be anything more than what they were and she couldn’t have their children drug into their mess. She was determined not to keep making the same mistakes. Flustered, and anxious, she ignored their questions and tried not to panic.  
__________

The twins were so excited to spend the weekend with their father that Friday night passed by quickly and without incident. By Saturday night however, the novelty had worn off. Outnumbered and out of his element, David struggled to keep his three children happy. West and Addie were fighting over what movie to watch and Max was crying over the fact that he had left his favorite toy at Gillian’s. Eventually, he gave up and gave in. Exhausted, but determined to make his son happy, he shuffled them all into a cab. The bitter air made them all shiver during the cross town drive and the girls were miserable, but he was persistent. It was his first full weekend with them, it had to go well.

David used his key to get into the apartment. Aware that the kids were probably driving the building security nuts downstairs in the lobby, his plan was to get in and out as quickly as possible. Expecting the place to be dark and empty, he stopped suddenly in the living room when he noticed that all the lights were on. His expression was part curiosity, part fear. When he turned to find a man dressed only in boxer shorts walk out of the kitchen carrying a bottle of expensive champagne, his features turned stoic.

As the man came closer, David realized that it was the model...the one that Gillian had been with in London. “What are you doing here?” Glancing at the man’s naked chest, his mind conjured up a lot of scenarios, but he pushed them aside. She was working. She was in LA. There must be a reasonable explanation.

The man was taller than David, but stockier and not all that attractive for a model. “I could ask you the same question.” His statement, said in a thick English accent, came out with complete confidence. It was clear that he wasn’t intimidated by David’s presence. With an amused smirk he eyed up his disheveled appearance. “Rough night with the kids?”

The condescending mention of his kids ignited David’s temper. His jaw tensed as he took in the surroundings. There were clothes strewn across the hallway floor and more champagne bottles littering the end tables. “I’ll ask you again, what are you doing in her apartment? She’s not even in town.” A grim picture again popped into his head and this time, he couldn’t shake it. He tried to give her the benefit of the doubt, but trust wasn’t something that she had earned.

The man let out a cocky chuckle. “I’m Alex, by the way, and you must be the poor bastard who’s stuck on babysitting duty this weekend.”

“Excuse me?” came David’s astonished response.

“I don’t know what she told you, but she’s quite obviously not out of town.”

Incredibly pissed off, David charged at Alex, ready for a fight, but the man stepped back and held up his hands.

“Hey man…I wasn’t trying to step on your toes or anything. She said she was single.” He pointed at a spot behind David and smiled. “Baby, did you still want that refill?” He held his hand out, offering her the bottle.

The bottle was nearly knocked out of his hand when David spun quickly around and then locked eyes with Gillian. Her expression was unreadable, which threw him off more than the fact that she was clad only in a long men’s t-shirt, one, that wasn’t his own. He didn’t want to know whose it was. Pretending that they were alone, he turned his anger towards her. “What the hell is going on?”

Defensively, she crossed her arms over her chest and deflected with a question of her own, “Where are the twins?”

As the picture of what was going on became clearer and clearer in his mind, his anger grew and grew. Harshly, he shook his head. “Don’t change the subject. What happened to LA?”

Defiantly, she raised her chin up so that she could face him head on. “David, where the fuck are my children?”

Finally losing his temper, he stomped past her and down the hall. He couldn’t believe that she was blatantly ignoring that fact that he had caught her with another man. Again. Not one to back down from a fight, she chased after him to the twins’ bedroom. “What are you even doing here?” She lashed out. Ignoring her, he searched the room for Max’s toy. “David?”

When his search failed to find it, he threw his hands up into the air and turned to face her. His eyes were dark with fury. “Where is Max’s new dinosaur set? He’s been asking for it all night.”

The harshness of his tone surprised her at first, but she quickly recovered. Moving towards the bookshelf at the far end of the room, she dug through some bins before pulling out the bag of dinosaurs. In a rush, he snatched it out of her hand. “Tell me where my kids are!” she yelled.

“They’re mine this weekend. Remember?” He went to move past her, but she reached out and grabbed his arm. Her long nails dug into his skin.

“Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

Her grip was painful, but he didn’t shrug her off right away. He was too angry to care about the pain. “Was LA just more bullshit so that you could spend the weekend with your boyfriend?”

“What?” Offended that he always assumed the worst of her, she yelled, “My meetings were cancelled! And he’s not my boyfriend.”

“How convenient,” he snarled. “And instead of telling me about your change of plans, you leave me with the kids so that you can have your fucking booty call over.”

“I wanted to give you time with them!”

“How generous.”

Gillian’s eyes narrowed and she masterfully turned the argument back onto him. “So you don’t want to have them on weekends? Do they cramp your style too much?”

Her response was his undoing. Shaking her grip off of him, he threw the bag of dinosaurs onto the ground and took her by the shoulders. In a quick, not so gentle motion, he backed her up against the wall so that he could tower over her. “So, you’re fucking that asshole?”

Refusing to cower under him, she rolled her eyes. “It’s none of your business.”

“I think the fact that we had sex two nights ago makes it my business,” he spat. “Dammit Gillian, you’re my…” His words trailed off as he, again, realized that he didn’t know what she was to him.

She quickly pounced on his fumbled words. “I’m your what?” When he didn’t respond, she shook her head in confusion. “What did you think this was?”

His chest was heaving breathlessly as he stared down at her. “I…” he started, but she wouldn’t let him finish. Her hands went to his shoulders and shoved him away from her.

“Did you think this was anything more than fucking?” As his hazel eyes settled across her, the pain inside them was evident. She searched his gaze for answers and what she found sobered her instantly. The realization that she had hurt him, greatly, caused her temper to simmer to a low boil. “Jesus…” she whispered in a baffled tone. “I…”

Embarrassed and slightly ashamed, David quickly recovered and his features turned impassive. “Forget it.” He moved away from her and grabbed Max’s toy from the floor.

“No!” she called out. She moved to grab his arm again, but he was too quick and easily avoided her touch. “I didn’t…we never…” She stumbled over her words, unable to express how she was feeling. “It’s not like this is an exclusive thing. I’m sure you see other people, too.”

“You make it sound like a fucking business arrangement,” came his monotone response. He didn’t understand when she had become so hell bent on pushing him away, or what he had done to deserve it.

Suddenly feeling desperate for his understanding, she panicked and called out to him. “David…I didn’t do this on purpose, I swear.” It was the truth. Though she had inklings that he wanted more, they had never set any rules…or guidelines. It wasn’t like she was cheating on him. So, then why did she feel so guilty?

It was too late for her words to comfort him. He no longer cared about her excuses or weak rationalizations. They clearly weren’t on the same page and it seemed like they never would be. He needed to get away from her. As quickly as possible. “I haven’t been with anyone else,” came his defeated statement. Glancing at her one last time, he then shook his head and pointed to the empty space between them. “So I guess I’m the fool, for thinking this was something more than it was.” Without looking at her, he turned and left the room.

“I’m sorry,” came her pleading cry. Her genuine apology was suddenly easy to utter, but it came far too late. Unable to look away, Gillian watched him go. As tears filled her eyes, she fought down the urge to call out for him to come back. Alex was still in the apartment, she was sure of it, but as she glanced around the empty room, she felt more alone than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that this one took so long! It's a very important chapter that gives you more of a glimpse into why Gillian does the things that she does (in this story, I mean). This is not going to be a story where she just constantly fucks up all the time and never grows. I promise. It's just a long road to redemption. David will have his own demons to face down the road, too. I have this story outlined...and it's about 24 chapters right now. So there is a lot of room for character growth and development. Don't you even worry. I'm already thinking of a sequel, too. 
> 
> Someone wrote a review asking for more of the Tea and David dynamic. Tea will be a major player in this story eventually. She will take on a very interesting role and hopefully not one that you expect. 
> 
> Thank you for all of your kind reviews. I'm still in shock that people are even interested in this. 
> 
> Last (but not least!) this chapter couldn't have happened without KK. Originally, I got caught up in the writing and wrote Gillian harsher than I had intended. KK reminded me of my original vision for the chapter and the story as a whole and I'm grateful for it. I'm sure you guys are too, because the original version would have caused a riot. She humbled me. The writer isn't always right. :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that this one took so long. Stranger Things 2 came out....and I fell down that black hole for a bit. I didn't want it to bleed through into this fic (wouldn't that be confusing as fuck!) so here we are. Forgive me.

The next day, at the scheduled meeting time, Gillian hesitantly stepped into the Upper East Side studio where Max and Addie took their weekly gymnastics class. She didn’t see David right away, so she waited for several minutes in the empty lobby and then tried to call him. The call connected just as she caught sight of his lanky frame hovering in the doorway. 

“There you are,” she said, while pulling the phone away from her ear. “I’ve been waiting here, didn’t you see me?”

David stood in between the lobby and the hallway that led to the restrooms as if he were afraid to even be in the same room as her. “Oh,” he replied, then flippantly added, “Well, you’re fully dressed...so I guess I didn’t recognize you there.”

His dig hit its intended target and she sighed in annoyance. Instead of calling him out on his bitter attitude, she motioned towards the large room that sat in front of a wall of glass windows. “How are they doing?” She opted not to wait for him to respond. There were three rows of chairs in front of the glass. Usually, they were filled with parents eager to watch their children’s class, but today, the chairs were empty, so she had her pick of seats.

David’s tone lost a bit of edge as he spoke about the kids. “I don’t really know much about gymnastics, but they seem to be having a good time.”

Gillian’s face broke out into a smile when she caught sight of Max and Addie through the glass. She waved at them in excitement. “They love this class. It tires them out, thank god.” Her eyes then moved to meet his. “Did you guys have a good weekend?” It was easy to discuss the kids. It allowed her to forget the events of the night before, but it soon became clear that he was not going to forget so quickly.

With his arms crossed, David sat down, but left a chair between them. She looked at the empty space as if it had personally offended her, but he didn’t make any motion to fill the gap. “They did.” He blew out a puff of air before continuing, “Mine, however, could have been better.”

Gillian closed her eyes and then covered her forehead with her hand. It took every ounce of her resolve not to bite out the first thought that came to her mind. They sat in an awkward silence until she thought long and hard about what she wanted to say. “I really didn’t mean to ruin your weekend.”

With a self-deprecating snort he said, “I’m sure you didn’t.”

“David…I’m sorry. My meetings in LA got cancelled at the last minute, I wasn’t trying to keep anything from you.”

“Just stop,” he interrupted. He swept towards the air in her direction as if he was trying to smack her words away. It was a quiet command that he knew she wouldn’t listen to.

In frustration, she slid into the empty seat. “But, I didn’t know that you thought...”

“I don’t care,” came his insistent response. “I got the message last night. Loud and clear.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Oh, I think I do.”

“If you would just give me a chance to explain…” She was incredibly flustered that he was refusing to listen to her. 

Feelings of hurt and humiliation propelled his stubborn reply. “No.” It would have been easy to give in to her. To let it all go like he had before. But, no. He was putting his foot down this time. “I’m too old and too tired for these games, Gillian.” He glanced around to make sure that they were still alone before continuing, “You want no strings? Fine. But don’t fuck me around.”

There was only so much fighting that he could take. Feeling emotionally drained, he looked towards the kids for a few seconds before looking at his phone. Then, he set his impassive gaze upon hers. “I have to go get West at a birthday party.” Gillian’s mouth was open, like she was ready to argue, but he stood up before she could get the chance. “Your new nanny is still starting tomorrow, right?” He didn’t wait for her to reply before continuing, “Maybe she can drop West off at my place after school.”

Having the nanny drop West off was the easiest way to avoid her. Gillian knew it, but didn’t know how to stop it. Realizing that he wasn’t going to listen to what she had to say, she pursed her lips into a firm line before replying, “Fine.”

Her lack of argument momentarily threw him off guard. He had expected her to pitch a fit or deny him access to his children, but when she didn’t, he was left staring at her in confusion for far too long. Realizing that he had to make a move, he shook his head, picked up his jacket, and walked away.

Gillian refused to watch him leave, again. Fighting back tears, she instead kept her head held high and tried to focus on her children.  
__________

A week or two went by in an icy silence. Emails were exchanged about the kids. Professional conversations were held when needed, but for the most part, they kept their distance from each other. With Gillian’s nanny, Michelle, acting as a buffer between them, they were successfully able to avoid each other outside of work. Their first real conversation was an explosive fight that took place on set, inside the makeup trailer, on a sunny, but cold, Wednesday morning.

That day, instead of finding his makeup artist, Cindy, waiting for him, David found a very angry Gillian. Unsure why he was being screamed at, he shot her a glare.  
“What the fuck is your problem?” he seethed. 

Engrossed in her phone, she quoted a few paragraphs from an article that he had recently been interviewed for. She didn’t look at him as she stood up and read his direct quote out loud. “You know, we’re just friends. Not you know, best friends, but we get along for the most part. She’s not exactly my type and I don’t think I’m hers either.”

Her narrowed eyes found his and he cockily shrugged. “The guy asked me if we were together. What was I supposed to say?”

Ignoring him, she continued. “At this stage in my life, I’m ready to settle down. I don’t really think that’s her thing though, settling down. You know, she’s in hot demand...and she’s got a whole rotation of men. I can’t even keep up with their names at this point.”

David crossed his arms. “Oh come on. That was a joke…did he mention that I was joking?” He tried to peer over her phone so that he could see the text for himself, but she swiftly yanked it away.

“You basically called me a slut!” She yelled.

He was quick to defend himself. “I did not! He knew that I was joking. He even laughed with me.”

His words infuriated her. “So you find it funny? Calling me a slut? Our fucking children will read that someday.”

“Don’t you think you’re overreacting? I didn’t call you a slut,” he snapped back. “You don’t see me flipping out over every dumb remark you make in the press, do you?”

“Are you kidding me?” There wasn’t much space between them as they stared each other down. Anger was practically radiating from their bodies. “You sure as hell used to!”

In frustration, David scrubbed his hand over his face. “You’re really gonna use shit that happened 15 years ago against me?” She didn’t respond, allowing him to add, “If you want to be mad about a stupid comment, be mad. I don’t care.” He had every intention of walking away, but when he turned, she grabbed his arm so that he had no choice but to turn back to face her.

“You’re a fucking asshole.” It wasn’t the first time she had said it, and it probably wouldn’t be the last. “You did this to get back at me for Alex!”

His jaw tensed as his anger grew in intensity. She was the one who had ruined everything. He refused to take the blame for any of it. Ignoring her last comment, he focused on the first. “So what if I am an asshole?” came his lethal tone. “At least I don’t go out of my way to self-destruct my own life.”

The space in between her eyebrows furrowed in furiousness. “I do not! What the fuck does that even mean?”

"Oh, so you’re just sleeping your way through Manhattan for fun, then?" His sarcastic tone was loud and bounced off the trailer walls.

Gillian let out a bitter laugh, “Are you seriously going there right now? You, who fucked anything that moved in LA AND Vancouver, are going to judge me?”

Though he was infuriated, David sent her a cocky smirk. “And you didn’t? I think we’d have a pretty competitive list if we compared numbers. And speaking of, are we including the women you fucked, too, or just the men…?"

His words ignited her anger. Every inch of her body was humming with tension. She felt like she was burning from the inside out. “This isn’t about me!” She screamed. There was a makeup chair beside her, and she shoved it out of the way with such force that it toppled over. He flinched at the noise, but said nothing. “You publicly humiliated me!” She continued, “ How am I going to explain that to Max and Addie someday, when they ask why their FATHER would say that about their mother?”

Any other time, her words would sober his anger and make him immediately regret his actions, but he was too far gone in his rage for that now. He could barely even hear her. Blood was pulsing into his ears and his heart was speeding out of control. “The same way you’re going to explain why you kept them from me all these years!”

With a shriek, Gillian charged at him. There wasn’t much space between them and he didn’t back down as she shoved his chest hard. Her ineffectual fists didn’t move his body very far. At two, maybe three times her size, her petite form was no match for his. She kept shoving him, but he made no move to defend himself. He wouldn’t risk hurting her, so he stood and took her pounding until the door opened and Cindy stepped in. The woman’s face registered complete shock as she took in the scene before her.

The unexpected intruder burst her bubble of anger, and Gillian’s fists stalled, but didn’t leave his chest. Completely absorbed in their volatile fight, they both stared at Cindy as if she were another life form.

Eventually, Cindy’s face fell into an apologetic frown. Moving towards Gillian, she looked her up and down as if she were searching for something. “Um...I hate to be the bearer of bad news…” She said, as she caught sight of what she was looking for sticking out of Gillian’s white blouse. “But, you’re still wearing your mic...and it’s on.” She pointed towards the small black object that was barely visible and then moved away.

At first, Gillian didn’t understand what was going on. In confusion, her hand moved to her chest and felt around until she caught hold of the small microphone. With wide panicked eyes, she yanked it out of her blouse. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Letting out an awkward laugh, Cindy held up her hands. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger...one of the PA’s was sent from tent city to tell you, but I intercepted the message.”

David let out a groan and then looked up towards the ceiling. He had no idea what scene Gillian had been filming prior to their fight. How many people with headsets had heard them? The fight had happened so fast and with such fury, that he didn’t even remember all that they had said. “Fuck,” he mumbled. Kicking a nearby table, he then crossed the room and flopped down miserably in one of the makeup chairs.

Unlike him, Gillian knew exactly what they had screamed at each other. She also knew how many people had probably heard them. Understanding how bad their situation was and knowing that she had made a rookie mistake, her cheeks flushed and she bit her lip. Humiliated, and unable to face him or Cindy, she rushed out of the trailer without saying anything.  
__________

Several hours later, David was on his way off the lot so that he could finally go home, when Cindy stepped in front of his path. “Duchovny! I’m going to kill you!” Her tone was angry, yet friendly at the same time.

“Get in line, Cynthia,” he deadpanned. After the unexpectedly public fight that morning, his day went downhill fast. After being gawked at, whispered about, and harassed all day, his patience had finally worn out.

“Don’t call me Cynthia!” she insisted.

“Don’t call me Duchovny.”

The makeup artist was 5 years his senior. She was almost as tall as him and probably just as strong. Pulling her sunglasses off of her face revealed a small heart tattooed just above her right eyebrow. “How long have we known each other now?”

“Too long,” came his teasing tone.

“I knew you before The X-Files! And you know that I love you. I really do, but you’ve got the worst timing, I swear.”

Behind his own sunglasses, he warily eyed her up. “What did I do now?” For reasons he didn’t quite understand, everyone seemed to be mad at him. Even after two decades in the business, he was still bewildered by the fact that one misquoted line in an article could cause such turmoil. Cindy shot him a skeptical look and he shook his head. “I’m serious,” insisted David. “I really don’t know.”

“Come on, Dave…enough people heard that fight. You know how gossip spreads around here.”

He let out a frustrated groan. “That’s nobody’s business.”

“Normally I would agree with you, but now I’m getting yelled at by the director because I keep having to re-do her makeup. You know we’re on a time crunch...and we’re behind because her damn makeup keeps needing to be retouched. Can you stop making her cry during work hours, please?” She gently poked his arm to prove her point. “They don’t pay me enough for this.”

“I didn’t make her cry,” he responded, in an incredulous tone. “There wasn’t a tear in sight when she was screaming at me.” For a few seconds, he was mildly annoyed that he was getting the blame for Gillian’s emotional state. But then, as was usually the case, guilty crept and derailed his annoyance. “Did I?”

The question, muttered under his breath, wasn’t meant to be answered, but Cindy responded anyway. “Yes! Listen, I read the article. Everyone probably has by now.” She looked at him with a sympathetic frown. “I know you’re a great guy, but I’m gonna speak for women everywhere right now and tell you that you sounded like a complete dick in that interview.”

Feeling defensive again and flustered, he crossed his arms. “I was joking!” He could say the words over and over, but that didn’t make them true. A fact that his guilt ridden mind was now reminding him. Had he meant to insinuate that she was a whore? Certainly not. But, knowing that it would piss off Gillian, he had let his bitterness and anger get the best of him. Hurting her or his children, however, had not been his intention.

Cindy watched as his hand moved to fumble with his bottom lip. She couldn’t see his eyes behind his dark sunglasses, but she had a feeling that they were no longer on her.

“For the love of god, just apologize before I get fired,” came her serious suggestion. Then, in a more jovial tone, she added, “Or she dehydrates from lack of fluids. Whichever comes first.”

His hand moved from his lip to his clean shaven chin as he sighed. “What a fucking mess.”

Reaching out, she gave his arm a comforting squeeze. “I don’t know what the deal is with two these days.” She took her hand away so that she could slip her sunglasses back on. “I don’t even want to know, but you’re a better man than this. I know it.”

David replied with a meek smile. “Thanks, Cyn. I needed that.”

“You know I’ve always got your back,” she encouraged before leaving him alone.  
Glancing towards Gillian’s trailer, that wasn’t far from his, he shook his head and sulked towards the driver who was waiting for him. He didn’t have many options that would correct his media mistake without making things worse, but, he could at least correct his personal life mistake.

 

__________

By the time she wrapped up her last scene of the night and made it to her trailer, Gillian was one of the last people on the lot. Eager to get home to her children and put the wreck of the day behind her, she went through the motions of packing up her things and getting dressed.

Something gold and shiny glistened out of the corner of her. In groggy confusion, she turned to find a large white and gold vase sitting on the table. It was filled with 24 pink and yellow tulips. It was such a large display that it dwarfed the small piece of furniture. Her stomach dropped when she noticed the note attached. 

Instantly, she recognized the familiar scrawl and held her breath as she plucked it from the vase. Unlike a generic florist card, this one was on thick cardstock and hand written. Afraid to breathe, she read the note once, then twice, and then a third time before finally letting out a puff of air. 

Bending over, she took in the sweet smelling flowers. Her heart was still racing and her hands were shaking, but the aroma of the flowers helped relax her. Taking a deep breath, she sat down and buried her head in her hands. The note, which contained a sweet apology from David, was still clutched tightly in her hand.

__________

Predictably, it only took a few days for the rumors to reach gossip blogs and other trashy tabloid outlets. In the film and television industry, nothing spreads faster than gossip. Soon, David and Gillian’s argument had been misreported and exaggerated so many times, that the final version, full of false facts, sounded like something out of daytime soap opera. It didn’t help the already tense atmosphere between them.

With filming of the season finale already in motion and the network gearing up for the massive episode, the pair were stuck doing press for the show during the holiday season. Their characters rarely had much to do with each other on screen, but that didn’t stop audiences from wanting their characters to end up together anyway. The rumors that they weren’t getting along on set fueled fan speculation. It also fueled ratings, and the network wasn’t going to give up the opportunity to force them into doing joint interviews.

“Remind me what we’re doing here again?” Gillian quietly snarked. She crossed her legs and then smoothed her orange, long sleeve dress down over them.

Joining her on the leather couch was David, who sat beside her with his legs spread wide open. “Because we’re contractually obligated to keep the show from tanking.” His monosyllabic response was also quiet, and said without looking at her. The pair were not happy to be spending their day off doing interviews, and it showed. 

While they impatiently waited for the camera to get setup and the Access Hollywood interviewer to join them, Gillian studied the noticeable gap between their bodies. Tensions between them were no better or no worse since he had apologized for his remark in the press. He refused to accept her apology over Alex and she refused to beg and plead for his forgiveness. So, as if history was doomed to keep repeating itself, they remained at an impasse.

Finally, Audrey, the strikingly beautiful show host joined them. She greeted them both, but gravitated more towards David. “I haven’t seen you since your last movie,” she gushed. “You look great. New York is good for you.”

“So do you. And you’ve got your own segment now. Congratulations.” He stood up so that he could kiss her lightly on the lips before sitting back down.

Audrey pretended to be modest. “Oh this? It’s nothing. Are things still going okay with the ex-wife and all?”

“Uh…yeah, yeah…” He chuckled and pointed to the live mic attached to his lapel. Shooting a look at Gillian, he continued, “I’m miked, so I can’t talk about it right now.” Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Gillian’s intense stare, but he pretended not to see  
it.

Beneath thick, dark lashes, Audrey beamed at him and then sat down across from the couch. Her white mini-dress rode up her legs to reveal tanned knees and a bit of thigh.  
“We can catch up later.”

Watching the pair interact made Gillian want to slap them both. Knowing that the camera crew could already be rolling, she kept her feelings to herself and somehow managed to keep her tone even and friendly. “Are we ready?” She continued to stare him down until he met her eyes again. For a brief second, his features registered annoyance, but once he turned back towards Audrey, his annoyance faded and was quickly replaced by his charm. “Let’s do this.”

“Gillian, can you move closer to David? You’re out of the shot,” one of the crew members called. Bright lights lit up the space as she slid closer to him. Intentionally, she moved as close as possible until her left heel, still in the air from crossing her legs, was practically digging into his knee. He shot her a questioning look just before the interview officially started, and she responded with a small, but telling smirk.

The first couple minutes went smoothly. David did most of the talking and since she wasn’t in the mood to be there at all, Gillian was fine with that. Eventually, though, the topics turned personal, and that’s when things went downhill.

“So there’s so many rumors about how you don’t get along, as I’m sure you’ve both heard. Is there any truth to them?”

From experience, David knew that he was better at answering personal questions, so he responded right away with a shake of his head. “No, no. We’re friends.” Beside him, Gillian twirled a green gemstone ring around her right middle finger. When she stayed silent, he looked towards her. “Aren’t we?” he teased.

Gillian forced herself to smile. “We are.” Overly aware of the camera pointed at her, she tried hard not to let her mind drift away from the moment at hand.

Glancing at the index card that she had in her hand, Audrey was quick to playfully call their bluff. “I have a report here, from an anonymous source of course, that you had David kicked off the set. Is that true?”

Gillian couldn’t control how quickly her eyes rolled. “That’s ridiculous.” Her tone came out terser than she had intended, so she covered it with a small laugh.

David soon let out a laugh of his own. “She doesn’t even have the authority to have me kicked off the set.” Suddenly nervous, he closed his legs and sat up straighter. “Besides, my character is in more of the show than hers is, so how would that work?”

“Your character may be in more scenes, but mine is more important,” Gillian jumped in. “Cassidy’s father owns the firm…she’s like, next in line to be the boss.”

A bit shocked by her response, David turned towards her. “Yeah but, Connor is the one vying for that spot. Without his schemes, there would be no drama.”

“Cassidy is immune to his schemes,” came her quick retort.

“She may not be, come the finale,” he threw back.

Watching their banter with rapt attention, Audrey laughed and then smiled wide, like the Cheshire Cat. “Well, as you can tell, America has fallen in love with Manhattan Gods and they are rooting for your characters to end up together.”

“We’re used to that,” David deadpanned. He reached for a glass of cold water on the table beside him and took a few sips.

“They’re calling you Cassor.”

In confusion, Gillian furrowed her brows. “They are?” David nodded in her direction as he sat his water back down.

“People tune in every week to see if Cassor will get together. I’m even rooting for them.”

Incredulously, Gillian looked to David. She had no idea what to say to that. Reading her silent gaze, he took the lead once again and motioned towards her. “Excuse my co-star here, she’s out of touch with these things…” His teasing tone made Audrey laugh, but Gillian took offense.

“Okay, so you get along and the rumors to the contrary are false, how well do you get along? Have you two ever tried to be more than friends? I have to say…you look great together.”

He should have seen the question coming, but he didn’t, and his leg began to twitch in anxiousness. He had royally fucked up his answer the last time he had been asked the same question. The weight of that mistake still sat heavy on his conscience. However, to his surprise, it was Gillian who spoke up first.

“No, we’ve never been more than friends.” She wasn’t a skilled liar in front of the camera, but this lie came out easy. Like a habit. “He doesn’t think that I’m his type.” She hit him with a challenging smile and it grew wider when his eyes showed signs of panic.

To hide his fear, he chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t say that…”

“That’s actually what you said…”

“Um…well you know…” He turned away from Gillian to look at Audrey for help. “I’m not her type either.”

An awkward silence fell over the interview. The host was about to respond, when Gillian beat her to it. “It’s true, he’s a bit too moody for my taste.” As she shifted in nervousness, her heel knocked into his knee and he jumped in pain. The motion, cut off from the camera angle, made it seem like he had reacted to her comment.

As pain shot through his knee, he frowned. “And she’s too reckless for mine…”

“Reckless?” came her incredulous response. “How?”

Realizing that they had accidentally gotten themselves into a personal conversation, he laughed to cover it. “I’m kidding.”

“I’m sure you are,” she laughed back, but her cheeks were tinged pink and her eyes had lost any signs of playfulness. Attempting to hide their personal life in public was only making their personal lives more complicated.

David sipped at his water again and she turned completely away from him to look at Audrey. In response, Audrey watched them in complete confusion and changed the subject so that the interview could end on a decent note.

When it was finally over, Gillian stood up first. Leaving David and Audrey to catch up, she motioned for her assistant and left the stage as quickly as possible. Under normal circumstances, David wouldn’t pass up the chance to catch up with a friend, but his mood had gone from bad to worse and he just wanted to be away from his co-star and all reminders of her.

__________

“Gillian? What are you doing here?” came David’s bewildered question. The day after their disastrous Access Hollywood interview, the network president had called him in for an impromptu meeting. He was not expecting her to be there, too.

Dressed casually, and with her black, leather jacket on, she stared up at him with an air of annoyance. “I was told that Paul wanted to see me.”

David skimmed through his phone calendar to make sure that he had the correct date and time. “He wants to see me, too.”

“Both of us?” Already nervous, the latest information made her stomach drop.

Frowning, he sat down in the chair beside her. The waiting room was large and modern and looked like money. Lots of money. Money that…he and Gillian were helping bring in as the ratings for their show climbed higher and higher each week.

To break the tension, he joked. “Maybe we’re getting fired.” Her face broke out into sad lines and he let out a deep chuckled. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“The head of network programming doesn’t call you in for nothing.” She knew how the system worked, as did he.

“Don’t be nervous,” he told her, even though he wasn’t even taking his own advice. He fumbled around on his phone as a distraction from his worried mind. She was right, it was never a good sign to be called in for a mysterious meeting, especially just days before the show was due to wrap for the season.

“Are they cancelling it?”

Her frightened tone caught his attention. “What? The show’s a hit.” In paranoia, he continued, “Why, what have you heard?”

“I haven’t heard anything.”

“Don’t freak out.” His attention was drawn to her fingers that she was nervously twisting and fumbling with. Silently, he reached out and put his hand over hers to still the movement. “Jesus, woman, you’re making me anxious.” His husky tone was meant for her ears only.

Ignoring the electric shock that ran through her at the feel of his touch, she sheepishly smiled and apologized. Unconsciously, her fingers swept against his, or maybe…it wasn’t such an unconscious act. She wasn’t sure anymore. Soon, his fingers were retuning the motion, but they refused to acknowledge it.

When the door opened, and a smartly dressed assistant came out to lead them inside, their hands flew apart in unison. “This is a great office you’ve got here, Mr. Lee,” David said, as he shook the man’s hand and then sat down. Gillian followed suit, but remained still and quiet.

“Please, call me Paul.” The entertainment head sat perfectly poised behind his huge mahogany desk.

“I like your fish.” David pointed towards a massive saltwater tank that took up one wall of the office. The rest of the walls in the corner office were taken up by rows of large windows that overlooked the bustling early morning Manhattan streets.

Paul regarded his fish tank with a proud smile. “I consider myself a bit of a fish collector. I have an even large one at my house in Santa Monica.”

David didn’t know how to respond to that, so he nodded politely and then wiped his moist palms on his jeans. The suspense was killing him and he was overly aware that Gillian was as stiff as a statue beside him.

Paul didn’t keep them waiting long. He didn’t waste any time taking control of the meeting. Seemingly oblivious to the pair’s anxiety, he went on and on about the show’s ratings, reviews, and profits. He talked in riddles. First complementing the show and its success, and then, in the same sentence, discussing how it could be better. By the end of his long winded speech, the pair was more confused than ever.

“Anyway, what I wanted to discuss is your media presence,” he signaled to both of them and then added, “The marketing department is delighted with your recent Access Hollywood interview. And the PR department sent me a dozen emails about the bump in social media traffic your little tiff has caused.” His tone left it unclear as to whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. Paul watched as the couple briefly glanced at each other before turning back to him. “I have to admit, I was concerned at first. Two co-stars hating each other has been the nail in the coffin for a lot of shows, but you two…I’ve never seen anything like the ratings we get whenever you go at each other in an interview…or when a new rumor breaks.” The man opened up his desk drawer and pulled out a copy of Star Magazine that had their pictures on the cover. “Feuding co-stars, when love turns to hate,” he read the headline and then tossed the magazine into the trash. “Apparently they can’t keep that one on the shelf.”

Irked by the invasion of privacy, David was the first to speak up. “What’s this about?” He sat up straighter in his chair as his body tensed.

Gillian spoke up before her boss could respond. “I’m sorry about all of this…” Her strong, confident tone hid her complete terror.

Paul laughed. “What are you sorry for? This is great.”

“Excuse me?” questioned David.

“Your feud has made this show a hit.”

Not expecting that, Gillian scoffed. “You can’t be serious…”

“I never joke about success,” came Paul’s response. “We’re in the process of deciding on a second season. You know, the logistics and all. That’s where you two come in.”

There was a long pause, and when he didn’t speak, Gillian said, “Um…why?”

She looked towards David in confusion. Am I the only one not getting this? All David did was direct her towards Paul for answers, and the man was quick to give them.

“I’m asking you…well…I guess I’m telling you, really, that you two should play up this angle.”

Gillian couldn’t hide her displeasure. “Excuse me?”

“What angle?” came David’s incredulous question. “Our personal life isn’t an angle.”

Unamused by their display of moral character, Paul sat back in his chair and folded his hands on his desk. His demeanor shifted from charming, to serious. “It’s in everyone’s best interest if the media thinks that you are constantly feuding. Or fucking. Or both.” He glanced at a booklet of charts and graphs on his desk. “Actually, the idea that you’re fucking is hitting big with the 18-29 age group. So that would be better.” 

David’s jaw clenched as he ground his teeth together. Rage was slowly building up inside of him. “No.” He didn’t even hesitate before speaking for the woman beside him, “We won’t be doing that.”

Paul didn’t become president of the network by taking no for an answer, so he wasn’t at all put off by the actor’s response. “I thought one of you might say that.” Reaching into his drawer again, he pulled out two envelopes and slid them across the desk. “Consider this a yearend bonus.” Neither of them moved to touch them.

“Are you bribing us?” Gillian’s disbelief was obvious.

“Just a thank you for a job well done. And, there will be more where that came from…”

David wouldn’t let him continue.“If we play your game.” His angry eyes met hers and his confidence grew once he saw that she was thinking the same thing. “That’s what you really mean, isn’t it?”

Cryptically, Paul shrugged. “It can mean whatever you want it to mean.”

It was then that David reached his boiling point, however, it was Gillian who lost her temper first. “Our personal lives aren’t for sale!” She had learned a lot of hard life lessons during her time with Fox. She was young and naïve and they had taken advantage. She wouldn’t make those mistakes again. “You can keep your money. I’ll keep my dignity, thank you.”

Afraid that she may let her fiery temper get the best of her, David stood up. “Let’s go. We’re done here.” He didn’t wait for her. Instead, he fled the office, then the lobby. It wasn’t until he neared the elevators when he heard her heeled boots approaching. He kept his back turned to her, even as her bitter, sarcastic question reached his ears.

“Do you think he was trying to bribe us equally? Or would he have paid you more?”

He didn’t respond to her jab, instead, he took out his anger on the down button that refused to light up, even as he pushed it three times in a row. “Fuck this,” he growled.  
“I’ll take the stairs.”

Slightly concerned by his behavior, she raised a skeptical brow. “From the 20th floor?” Before he answered, the elevator chimed and he barely waited for it to open before storming inside. “Let me push it…before you break it,” she mumbled.

The elevator was express, and the doors opened up into the huge marble lobby in record time. The lobby was crowded with people. They had to fight their way through. When they finally reached the front doors, he grabbed her by the elbow. She yelped in surprise, not pain, and soon they were standing in a corner away from the mob of people.

“We’re not doing this again,” he snapped.

“What?” Her confused eyes searched his for answers.

“This fucking media bullshit.” His voice was a little too loud and little too commanding. It echoed in the expansive, high ceilinged hall.

“Shh!” She bit out, then, softer, continued, “I don’t understand…”  
Annoyed that they weren’t on the same page and beyond angry at what had transpired upstairs, he groaned and took a few deep breaths to keep himself in check. When he felt ready to proceed, his words came out friendlier. “We can’t let them use us again.” It was his turn to search her eyes for answers. He needed to know that they were thinking the same thing. That...they had both grown and changed and rose above the craziness of the entertainment world. “And we can’t let them divide us.” 

Though he had calmed down, his words were strung together, and almost erratic. Worried about him, she nodded in understanding. “We won’t.”

Filled with guilty thoughts and feelings, David stared at her in desperation. It was his fault. His interview had started the current media storm. He felt solely responsible for their predicament. “It’s too late…” 

Like she always had, she understood what he was feeling without him having to spell it out for her. “No. It’s not. We’ll get a handle on it,” came her soothing response.

He wanted to listen to her, to believe her, but he was consumed with self-doubt. “Can we get dinner tonight? Just you and me?”

Gillian frowned. His sudden desire to spend time with her was confusing. “Uh…”

Taking her pause for a no, he grew even more desperate. “Please. We need to talk.”

“Okay, okay…” Checking her schedule, her mind quickly carved out some time for him. “I have two scenes later…but we can meet at El Vez if you want.” El Vez was supposed to be their ‘place.’ They had gone while filming the pilot episode and always joked about going back, but never had. Those days, before he knew about the twins, before she turned his life upside down, seemed like a lifetime ago.

David readily agreed and then, feeling like he was trapped in a prison, one where the walls were closing in fast, he offered a hurried goodbye and left as fast as he could.

__________

David sat alone in the low key Mexican restaurant. He sipped at his shot of overpriced tequila to keep himself from obsessively staring at the door. They were supposed to meet at 6:00. It was now 6:30 and he was beginning to wonder if she was standing him up. Did she change her mind and take the network’s blood money? He wondered. With a shake of his head, he shoved that negative thought away. No. She wouldn’t. But, doubt continued to creep in as each minute passed. Deciding to stop nursing his shot like an underaged school girl, he downed the rest in one gulp and let the glass clank against the table.

“If I had known that we were doing shots…I’d have gotten here sooner.”

David looked up just in time to see Gillian slide into the booth across from him.

“Sorry, I got a bit lost getting here.” She shrugged her coat off and reached for the bowl of tortilla chips. “Jesus, I’m starving.”

“How could you get lost?”

She chewed and swallowed a couple of chips before replying, “My head is all over the place.”

“Well, I can’t fault you there.” He understood the sentiment. His life hadn’t felt so out of control in a long time. It was starting to wear on him.

The waiter approached the table and the pair turned to face him. “Would you like another drink, sir?”

David lifted the shot glass. “I’ll have the same.”

“And you, miss?”

“Gin and tonic, please.” 

When the waiter walked away, David hit her with a look of surprise. “You’re drinking?”

With a piercing look that told him not to dig any further into her habits, she flatly said, “I haven’t been bribed in a long time. It feels like something I should celebrate.” 

“I’m bribed pretty regularly,” came his bitter joke. “But, I’ll celebrate with you anyway.” The waiter came back and dropped off their drinks. David held his up and pointed towards her. “Cheers.” 

“I’m sure we’ll laugh about all of this someday.” Gillian used her straw to stir her drink as she added, “It’s not like we haven’t been through worse before…”  
David gulped down his drink without grimacing. “That’s the point, isn’t it?” he said. “After 15 years, we still haven’t learned a damn thing.” He pushed the empty shot glass away to dissuade himself from ordering another. Getting drunk would definitely not help their situation. 

Licking her lips, she mulled over his words in silence. The man she saw earlier, who was geared up and ready to take down the world, now looked somber and defeated. “I don’t know. I mean, we didn’t take the money.” A tiny self-deprecating giggle slipped from her lips. “So we must have learned something.” 

“Hey, you’re right.” 

“It happens sometimes.” 

Their banter went from witty to bitter and then back to witty again by the time their food arrived. Gillian, who hadn’t eaten much all day, eagerly ate her tacos while David picked at his. 

When her brow arched in confusion, he explained, “I’ve got no appetite today.” His stomach was rolling with unease. 

“You said that you wanted to talk…” 

“I do.” 

Finishing her drink, she then glanced around to signal for the waiter. “Then talk.” Like magic, the waiter appeared seemingly out of nowhere and took her empty glass so that he could replace it with a new one. 

“Hitting the gin a little hard for a school night, aren’t you?” His deadpan remark earned him a glare. He didn’t look away though. He held her gaze until she grew uncomfortable and looked away. The pain and sadness hidden beneath the depths of her eyes sparked memories of the past. A tiny alarm bell sounded in his mind, reminding him of her history and her battle with addiction, but he ignored the sound so that he could delve into the reason he had invited her to dinner. 

“We need to present a united front.” He swallowed hard before quietly adding, “even if we don’t have one.”

“Hey,” she argued, “We’re united!” At his disbelieving frown, she continued, “Well, with the kids, anyway.”

David quickly challenged her on that. “Are we?”

Incredulously, she furrowed her brows. “How are we not?”

After picking at his burrito for several seconds, he then pushed his plate away for good. He had no appetite. “We still haven’t agreed on Christmas.”

Sensing that their conversation was about to take a serious turn, Gillian avoided his gaze by sipping her drink. The clear liquid, that easily dulled her racing thoughts, was easy to get lost in.

“They’re my kids, and I should get to see them on holidays.” He refused to have a repeat of Thanksgiving.

Suddenly defensive, she let the first thought that came to her mind slip from her lips. “You’re not taking them to LA.”

David was ready with his own argument. “And you’re not taking them to London.”

Their eyes locked in a silent battle for dominance. The conversation could easily turn into a massive argument. But, deep down, neither wanted that. Keeping up with their current state of affairs was harder than getting along.

“Actually, I’m planning to stay in town this year,” she cockily insisted. “Well, until after Christmas, anyway.”

Her response took him by surprise. “You are?”

Losing a bit of confidence, her steady gaze faltered and moved towards the table. “I thought that it would be easier…until we figure out a more permanent solution…”

“You mean, a custody agreement,” he deadpanned.

Gillian looked up. “I guess we should have something official…” Just the words, ‘custody agreement,’ made her stomach churn with anxiety. She had lost Piper, and the emotional trauma and heartache had never been repaired. What if she lost the twins too? It was her worst fear, but she had to face it. She could no longer run from it.

Across the table, David watched as her demeanor shifted. Her shoulders slumped down as if she were trying to hide. Her eyes were on him, but he could tell that she wasn’t seeing him. He didn’t understand what she was going through, but he knew her well enough to know that her mind was busy battling old demons.

In the hopes that his words would pull her back from whatever dark place she was lost in, he told her, “It doesn’t have to be anything official…” Her eyes glimmered in recognition and she slowly came back. “As long as we can agree to share holidays.” When she didn’t say anything, for a long time, he grew concerned. “You okay?” His question was practically a whisper, but it was enough to snap her out of it.

She nodded softly and then shivered. “My mom is going to Chicago for Christmas, and I was going to join her the day after. I’d like to bring Max and Addie…”

David could tell that she still wasn’t okay, but he decided to let it go. For once they were having a civil and open discussion about their children and he didn’t want to risk messing that up. “I have to take West out to LA to see Tea, anyway, so that actually works out.”

“Maybe you can have them on Christmas Eve and then I can have them on Christmas so that we can get ready to leave for Chicago?” suggested Gillian. She took the last few sips of her drink and then pushed it away. Her fingers rested on the glass, itching to order more, but she fought down the urge. She didn’t feel like watching him pass judgement upon her. 

“That sounds like a plan.” Playfully, he held out his hand to shake hers and then smiled when he was rewarded with her outstretched hand and a giggle. He shook her hand for longer than he had to. “See, that wasn’t so bad…” Her hand felt warm and soft in his. Her touch gave him a burst of energy and confidence. “I guess Alex will be joining you in Chicago?” His tone was light, like a joke, but they both knew that he wasn’t joking.

Gillian pulled her hand back so that she could pick at her dinner. In silence, he watched her eat, until she finally responded, “It’s not like that, with him…”

David cleared his throat and then took sips of his water. He didn’t want to talk about the other man, but he had to know. Not knowing was driving him crazier than knowing would.

“We just get together once and awhile. It’s nothing…you know, like…”

“Like us?” David quipped. “Is this really nothing?” He motioned towards the space in between them. She briefly met his eyes and stayed silent. Her silence spoke volumes. “I didn’t think so.” 

Gillian let out a puff of air. It blew a piece of hair into her face and she quickly swept it away. Passing over her lips with her tongue, she said, “This has to be nothing.” 

David was quick to respond, “Why?” 

“We have the twins to think about...um...and the show...and the fucking media. We should just keep it casual.” She didn’t have the energy or even the desire to get into a long winded history lesson with him about why a real relationship would never work. He was a master at convincing her to do things. She was easy prey at times. Her intense feelings for him had always blinded her in the past and he knew exactly how to get what he wanted. She wasn’t going to give him any room to argue. “My kids are the most important thing in my life. I won’t mess that up.” 

There were a million other reasons why they couldn’t be together. Gillian had gone over them over and over since the day they had met. They had tried to give things a real go in the past and it never worked. They were too different. Too volatile. Too incompatible. The last time they had tried to be a real couple, it had ended in disaster. And then, as if she had never meant a thing to him, he had gone off to marry someone else. The months and years following that had nearly ruined her.

They could have sex. They could have a good time. They could pretend to be a family and co-parent their children together, but she would never make the mistake of trying to make something real work with him again. It was an impossible task that would only end in her heart being broken.

Studying her expressive eyes, David nodded in understanding. She was the love of his life. She always would be. Even with the pain and fighting and anger, he still loved her. But, what if they tried again, and failed? He had already lost her once and this time around, there was even more to lose. So, even though a part of him wanted to, he didn’t argue with reasoning. 

“What we have…it’s ours,” he told her, with renewed confidence. “So let’s stop letting those assholes come between us.” She was right. It was just too risky and he wasn’t ready to take those risks. Perhaps…having her in moments was better than not having her at all.

Noticeably relieved that he wasn’t going to try and argue with her, she smiled. “Are you still mad at me about Alex?”

David let out a low chuckle and propped his head up in his right hand. “Maybe,” He joked, and then closed his eyes and added, “Are you still mad about the interview?”

“Well, the flowers helped,” she teased.

“But, I bet some chocolate would have really sealed the deal, huh?” He joked back and was happy when she laughed. 

Effortlessly, their gentle teasing continued until they eventually left and shared a ride back to Manhattan.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry about how long it took me to get this up. I've been in a major writing funk lately. Sometimes...I just lose all motivation for these two. I'm just so blah about them at the moment, but I really want to finish this story, so I will do my best to keep up with it. 
> 
> There is some small foreshadowing in this update...in regards to Gillian. 
> 
> Also, I want Max and Addie to be real. In my mind, they are the cutest little things. 
> 
> Consider this an early Christmas present. From me to you. Xoxo.

Gillian’s long black jacket wasn’t enough to keep her warm from the December cold. Standing on the patio of the chic downtown restaurant, she found herself wishing that she had worn stockings with her short, red dress. Inside, the cast and crew were celebrating the season’s end. Outside, a small group of women, Gillian included, were huddled around the fire pit. Cigarettes were exchanged, and despite the fact that she had quit smoking after the twins were born, she took one without hesitation. Her throat and lungs burned as she inhaled, but the pain was quickly replaced by spine tingling euphoria. Surrounded by the friends, she felt relaxed in the non-judgemental atmosphere. 

Out of the blue, Jane, one of the costume designers, pointed towards her and asked, “What’s the deal with David?”

Gillian took her time answering. She exhaled a puff of smoke and shrugged. “Why?” 

Jane puffed from her own cigarette and then responded, “I thought that you two would be coming together…”

A series regular, named Angela, added, “Instead he came with Malibu Barbie. Is she even legal?”

Gillian followed her gaze to the massive glass doors that led into the party. The foggy windows and glare from the lights made it impossible to see inside. Hating the way that her stomach dropped at the news, she kept her features impassive. “He’s free to fuck who he wants.”

The statement was accurate, but Jane chuckled in disbelief. “Sure he is.”

“He is!” Insisted Gillian. “So am I.”

Angela put out her cigarette in a nearby ashtray and then rejoined the conversation. “Okay, but bringing her here, though?”

“Obviously he wants to make you jealous,” Jane added.

Gillian laughed as she finished her own cigarette. She missed the feel of the smooth surface as soon as it was extinguished and she didn’t feel guilty about wanting another. “Well, I’m not jealous.”

“Sure you aren’t, sweetie,” teased Angela.

“I’m not!” Telling the lie was easy. Believing it, was the hard part. Gillian’s bare legs were shaking and she knew it wasn’t just from the cold. Her jealous feeling weren’t rational, but that knowledge didn’t make them easier to ignore. She had the sudden urge to see David and the other woman for herself. “I’ll catch up with you guys later,” she told her friends as she made her way inside. Behind her back, they were calling her bluff, but she didn’t care.

She didn’t have to scan the room for very long in order to find him. David and his date were in a circle surrounded by the writing team. They were laughing at whatever funny story he was telling. Suddenly paralyzed, she couldn’t look away. His date was blonde, bronzed, and gorgeous. She gazed up at him as if he were the most amusing man in the world. Gillian’s stomach dropped even further. If one really could turn green with jealousy, her entire body would be tinged that color. Decided that she had seen enough, she moved away. As she walked towards the bar, curiosity made her glance at the couple one more time, and when she did, her eyes locked with David’s. Even from across the room, his intense stare burned into her. She quickly broke the eye contact and kept going.

Several minutes later, she felt his presence behind her before he announced himself. “I was wondering when you’d get here,” David said.

Gillian slowly turned to face him. They were standing at the bar and there were people all around them, but no one was paying them much attention. “I’ve been here the whole time.”

“Have you?”

“I have.” Noticing that he was alone, she glanced around until she spotted his date talking to one of the show producers. She took a big sip of her drink and then casually said, “She’s awfully young, David.”

For a second, his brows furrowed in confusion. Then, realizing what she meant, he followed her gaze across the room. “Eva?” His eyes then went back to Gillian. “Younger than you, you mean,” he quipped.

With her lips parted into a sly smirk, she responded in a quick and even tone.  
“She could be your daughter.” 

Searching her eyes, he tried to read her, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. “But, she’s not my daughter.” His flat statement got her to look up and he shot her a wry smirk. Satisfied that he could finally get a read on her feelings, his smirk grew wider. Leaning in close, so that his lips were practically touching her earlobe, he whispered, “She’s not that young, and…you’re sexy as hell when you get jealous.”

“I’m not jealous,” came her adamant reply.

“Sure.” He nibbled at her earlobe and then smirked wider when he felt her shiver. Leaving her speechless, he ran his hand over her back before walking back to his date.

__________

Later, when Gillian stepped out of the bathroom, she crashed right into a familiar, hard body.

“Fuck, David!” She exclaimed. In her heels, she lost her balance. He grabbed her waist just in time to keep her from ending up face down on the floor. “What the hell are you doing creeping outside the women’s bathroom?”

“I was waiting for you.” She was okay standing on her own, but his arm was still around her waist anyway.

Randomly, Gillian let out a series of giggles. As if she were reading his mind, she defensively snapped, “I’m not drunk.”

Partly amused, he leaned in close to her again. He couldn’t help it. For some reason, he found her more irresistible than usual. “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”

“Hamlet. Really?”

Instead of responding, he took in her appearance. Her red dress was form fitting in all the right places. “You smell like smoke,” he mused. “And liquor.” His voice was thick and low and immediately turned her on.

“It’s a party,” she defended, as his lips kissed lightly over the silky flesh at the nap of her neck. “Where’s Eva?”

“Dunno.” His lips were still on her neck, so his words came out as a mumble. “Don’t care.” 

“Good.”

Surprised, David moved away from her neck so that he could look at her. Her eyes were wild and glassy and full of lust. “I thought you weren’t jealous?” He taunted.

“Shut up,” she snapped. Before he could prepare, she thrust open the bathroom door and yanked him inside. He followed without question.

The bathroom contained a single stall and a sink and not much else. She pushed him up against the door and he soon heard the sound of the lock clicking into place. Gillian went right for his belt buckle, but he grabbed her hands to stop her. She looked up at him then, and something in her features unsettled him. Soon, her hands were trying to pull out of his grasp, but he held on tighter.

“Hey, are you okay?” Something wasn’t right. The nagging thought had been present since their dinner at El Vez and now, it nagged at him harder. “How much did you drink?” His tone was gentle, and lacked any accusation. 

“Enough,” she responded. Before he could question her further, she fiercely kissed him.

His brain quickly turned to mush and his concern flew out the window. As their tongues dueled for dominance, her hands escaped his grasp and moved back towards his waistband. This time, he didn’t object as she loosed his belt and undid his jeans.

“You brought her here,” came her direct statement. “Why?”

Confused and breathless, he could barely form a coherent sentence. “I…um…I don’t know.” He shut his eyes as her hand made contact with the hard evidence of his arousal.

“Do you think that she can do this better than me?” Gillian taunted. She didn’t need his help to slide his pants down his waist, but he helped anyway.

“No…um, no…” Beneath hooded eyes, he watched as she got down on her knees.

“Does she turn you on more than I do?” In a daze, his head fell back against the door. He opened his mouth to respond, but then her pouty lips were on him and he could think of nothing else. Suddenly, she stopped, and his eyes popped open to look down at her. “Does she?” 

Her eyes were still dark and wild, but now, they held a wicked gleam. He had seen that look before. She was going to torture him…and he liked it.

“Fuck no,” he stuttered. Gently, he swept her blond hair away from her face. “No one does.” 

A sly smirk lit up her face. Hell bent on reminding him of all the things that she could do better, she went back to her task. 

 

__________

The glow from the city lights shown just bright enough into Gillian’s living room windows for David to make out her sleeping form. Propped up on his elbow, he watched her eyes move back and forth behind her eyelids. In sleep, she was content. It was nice to see.

Hours earlier, he had ditched the wrap party (and his date) to follow Gillian home. There, they had spent the rest of the night drinking wine and fooling around until collapsing into a satisfied heap on the living room floor.

Now, after watching her for a long time, he fumbled around for his phone and sighed when he checked the time. He didn’t regret sleeping with her, but he did regret sleeping on the floor. His bones cracked as he stood up and he let out a painful groan as he straightened his back.

Gillian stirred, and her eyes fluttered open. He noticed, but kept quiet in case she wanted to go back to sleep. In the darkness, she squinted as he stumbled around putting his clothes on. When he sat down on the couch to slip his shoes on, she sat up and asked, “You’re leaving?”

His mouth felt dry. He had to clear his throat in order to say, “It’s pretty late...or early...depending on your definition.”

She was still naked, and made no move to cover herself as she stared at him in confusion. “The kids spent the night at your sister’s…”

His deep chuckle followed. “I remember.” He left the room in search of his jacket, and when he came back, he was surprised to see her still sitting there on the floor. Always a gentlemen, he offered her his hand to help her up. “Why don’t you go to bed? Your back will thank you later.”

Gillian did get up, but she refused to let him help her. “You don’t want to stay?”

Her incredulous tone confused him. Covering his mouth and chin with his hand, he tried not to get distracted by her heaving breasts. “Don’t act all insulted.” 

“I’m not.”

“Okay, then what is this?”

“I’m just surprised that you’re leaving, that’s all,” she scoffed.

Hungover, and tired, his temper spiked faster than usual, “This is what you wanted. Remember?” She opened her mouth to argue, but he wouldn’t give her the chance. “Do you think I spend the night with every woman I fuck?” His statement was honest, but harsh. He regretted it when he saw her eyes glisten with tears. 

“You’re right.” Instantly, her features turned stoic. Shutting him out was her go-to defense.

“I’m sorry…”

“Just go. It’s fine.” She waved him off and turned away. “Can you lock the door on your way out?”

Biting his bottom lip, he closed his eyes. When he was sure that he wouldn’t flip out in frustration, he told her that he would and watched as she fled to the bedroom. Throwing his hands into the air, he groaned and then left the apartment.

__________

“Hey Maximus, do you have everything?” It was Christmas Eve morning and David was patiently waiting in Gillian’s living room. 

“Yes.” The little boy flashed his Ninja Turtle back pack at his father and then gasped in surprise, “No! Wait...I need my new toy.” 

“I think you have enough toys in there…” Advised David, but his words went unheard as his son ran away. 

Quietly, Gillian padded out of the kitchen with a mug of coffee. “They’re still not ready?”

“You told them that this was only one night, right?” Came David’s chuckle. 

“Addie! Max! Let’s go!” she bellowed, before turning to him and motioned towards her mug. “Coffee?” 

He declined with a shake of his head. “No, no...I’m good.” 

“Almost ready!” Addie yelled. 

Gillian yelled right back, “You have five minutes!” She darted away from David’s gaze and sat down beside him. Close...but not too close. “Sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into them today.” 

“They’re excited to spend Christmas Eve with me,” he deadpanned. “I’m touched.” 

To appease him - he would keep trying until she laughed - she let out a soft snort before sipping her coffee. The ghosts of their last encounter hung in the air, haunting them. For now, both were content to pretend like it never happened. 

David scrunched up his face at her unenthusiastic tone. “What...you don’t think they’ll have fun?” His green eyes were drilling holes into hers. When she finally looked at him, he couldn’t hide his hurt feelings fast enough. 

“I didn’t say that. I know they’ll have a great time…” 

Her words weren’t enthusiastic enough for his liking. Confused and offended, he turned towards her and crossed his arms. “It sounds like you don’t really believe that.” 

Gillian shook her head. “It’s not that. I’m just worried about them, that’s all.” 

“Worried...about what?” He genuinely didn’t understand and his lack of understanding annoyed her. 

 

Flustered, she sat her coffee down and faced forward with her elbows on her knees so that she didn’t have to look at his intense gaze. “They’ve never been away for Christmas Eve. I just hope they are okay, that’s all.” 

David’s incredulous tone was immediate. “I don’t buy it.” 

Her lethal eyes went right to his. “What? You think I’m making it up?” 

“No,” he replied, then flippantly added, “I just find it awfully convenient that you have reservations five minutes before I’m about to walk out the door with them.” 

His implication made her instantly angry and she stood up to get away from him. “For fucks sake, David. I wouldn’t have suggested this in the first place if I didn’t want you to have them.” 

She wasn’t able to stand still. She paced around the living room with quick strides as she continued. “They usually spend the night in my bed. We watch movies and bake cookies and read books. I just hope they are okay with the change. That’s all.” Her hands were busy wringing around each other. 

Her jittery movements made him dizzy. Casting his gaze down at the floor, he humored her. “They’re kids, Gillian. They’ll be fine...and they’ll be right back here tomorrow morning.” 

When he met her eyes again, he noticed that she had stopped in the center of the room. She was staring at him with a far away look. Knowing that she wasn’t paying attention to him, he sighed and stood up. There had always been a certain level of ease that came with co-parenting with Tea. The expectations had been ironed out during their divorce and they rarely went to war over them. Co-parenting with Gillian on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Would it ever get easier? He hoped so. 

“We’re ready!” Max exclaimed, as he ran back into the room. His backpack was bursting with toys and he had a rubber snake around his neck. “Can we go now?” He took hold of his father’s hand and pulled. Addie wasn’t far behind him. 

David laughed. “Sure.” And then he looked again towards their mother. “Go say goodbye to your mom.” He watched as both children went right to Gillian and wrapped their arms around her. Feeling like he was imposing, he stepped away as she quietly spoke to them. 

It seemed like an eternity by the time Gillian lead them all to the door. Hyper with excitement, the kids left quickly. Unsure what to do or where he even stood with her, David put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “They’ll be okay. I’ll have them back by 9 tomorrow.” 

Unexpectedly, her eyes welled with tears and she quickly averted her eyes so that he wouldn't see. Once he was gone she leaned up against the door so that the cool surface was touching her face. She had never spent Christmas Eve without them. At first, she was semi-excited about the prospect of a childless night. But, as the day loomed closer and closer, all she could think about was how awful she felt without her children. 

The house was too quiet. The silence that she had longed for, was now a burden. Feeling like she had been kicked in the gut, she slid down the door until her legs hit the floor. Her chest constricted and her breathing sped up. The familiar feeling of loneliness crept up and threatened to suffocate her. With shaky legs, she managed to stand up and wobble to her bedroom. There, in her purse, she found her prescription bottle of Xanax. Swallowing a dose with some water, she then crawled into bed and waited for the numbness to set in.   
__________

“Dad! It’s snowing! It’s really snowing! Come look,” West screamed from the dining room. “Hurry! Before it stops!”

David slowly made his way into the room. The amount of delicious food that he had consumed at his sister's weighed him down. “Okay, Okay.” Expecting to see nothing more than a few flurries, he let out a surprised gasp when he saw the air swirling with snowflakes. “Uh…I don’t think it’s stopping anytime soon.”

“Max! Addie! Come see! Oh my god…we could have a white Christmas.” West was practically jumping up and down with excitement. Growing up in southern California meant that snow was still a novelty to her. When her siblings didn’t come running, she called for them again. “What are they doing?”

Briefly, David was distracted by the snow, which was making the pink and purple sunset look even more vibrant. When the apartment continued to stay quiet, and he didn’t hear the twins, he grew suspicious. “This can’t be good,” he mumbled. “What are they getting into?”

His question was rhetorical, but West answered anyway, “They were in your room.”

Groaning, he took one last look at the sunset and then went to find them. He hurried into his room to find that Max and Addie were in his bed. “What are you guys doing?”

To his daughter, his question seemed stupid, and her response let him know it. “He’s crying. See?” Addie pointed to Max.

“What happened?” Trying to figure out if the boy was injured, David surveyed the scene, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Max wouldn’t look at him. “Why’s he crying?”

“He wants to go home.” All traces of cockiness were gone from her tone as Addie’s light blue eyes silently pleaded with her father’s for help.

“What? Why?” Ignoring his aching knees, David bent down on the floor so that he could be on their level. “You had a great time today, with your cousins.” They had gone to Laurie’s for a late lunch to celebrate the holiday. The day had been a success. Or so he thought.

Max looked up at him with tears streaming down his face. “I want mommy.”

Semi relieved that that was the only issue, David smiled. “You’ll see her tomorrow morning. Don’t worry.”

His words offered little comfort to the upset five year old. “I wanna go home, with mommy.”

“Me too,” Addie said. Her father shot her a disbelieving look, and the little girl added, “I do!”

“You were so excited to spend the night with West…”

Addie shook her head. Max was still crying and Addie was staring at him with her mother’s defiant gaze. Unsure how to handle this new development, he stood up and ran his hand through his hair. “Um…well you know what guys, it’s snowing out! Why don’t we go see?” 

Predictably, both children refused. “Okay…how about a movie? I think Frosty’s on.”

David offered suggestion after suggestion, but the twins refused to cave in. Just when he was at his wits end, West interrupted, “Why’s he crying?” She asked, as she stood behind her father. “Is he hurt?”

“He’s just a little homesick,” responded David. He put his arm around West and motioned towards Addie. “Honey, why don’t you go with West? You girls can watch a movie. I’ll make popcorn in a few minutes.”

“Can we watch two movies?” West wondered. “And have candy with the popcorn?”

David readily agreed. He would have agreed to anything. “Come on Ads, it’ll be fun.”

The little girl moved, and his heart leapt thinking his idea had worked, but then, his hopes were dashed when she scooted closer to Max and burst into tears. “I’m staying with my brother,” she cried.

“He’s my brother too,” West reminded her. She slipped away from David’s grasp and moved to sit on the bed.

Addie quickly covered his body with her own. “No he’s not!”

In outrage, West looked to her father for absolution. “Yes he is! Dad, tell her!”  
Bewildered and not really sure what to do, David could do nothing but stare with his mouth open. “He’s my brother, Addie.”

The five year old pulled away from Max. Her cheeks were flushed and her face was covered in tears. “NO HE’S NOT!” She screamed. “He’s MINE!”

David quickly acted on instinct. “Hey, stop yelling,” he demanded. “West it’s okay, they’re just upset…”

His words were too little too late for her. Launching off of the bed, she stormed out of the room. “I hate this!” She yelled at him. “They’re ruining everything.” She left before he had a chance to comfort her.

Not used to having to choose which child to comfort first, he groaned and turned back to the twins. When he did, he noticed that they were having their own side conversation. In silence, he watched as they spoke to each other.

“Mommy said Santa would know where to find us,” Addie whispered.

“He won’t be happy without the milk and cookies,” Max reminded her.

“She said she would leave them out for us…” As Addie spoke, her tears fell faster and her voice broke. “She’ll make them by herself.” Just talking about her mother made her more upset.

“I don’t want her to do it by herself,” cried Max. “She needs help.”

“She can do it, but…what about our stories? We didn’t bring them…”

“And she’ll have to sleep all alone…”

Suddenly, they both turned to their father and in unison, cried, “I want mommy.”

Feeling like the worst parent in the world, it took every ounce of his resolve not to burst into tears himself. Guilt curled around his gut. He had wanted so badly to spend the holiday with them, that he hadn’t taken Gillian’s concerns seriously…and now, they were upset. “I’m an asshole…” He muttered, low enough that they wouldn’t hear.

With a defeated sigh, he clapped his hands together. Their sadness broke his heart and he quickly surrendered. “Let’s call her, okay?” He didn’t know what else to do. It was his first Christmas with them, he didn’t want it to be their worst, too. Sniffling, but slowly calming down, they both readily agreed.  
__________

 

The sound of her generic ringtone penetrated Gillian’s sleep. In her dream, she kept reaching and reaching for her phone, but the more she tried, the further it slipped away. Eventually, the ringing stopped, and with a cry, her brain was forced awake. Sitting up, with her heart racing, the phone rang again, and she grabbed it without thinking.

“I’m waving the white flag,” David said, with no preamble. 

Instantly worried, she put her hand to her chest and took deep breaths. “What is it? Are they okay?” Her brain was barely functioning, so she shook her head, as if she could shake the fogginess away. It took her several seconds to figure out where she was.

“Gill…you were right. This was just too much too fast. They are completely miserable here.”

“I don’t even know what time it is…” She mumbled.

Thinking she was kidding, he laughed and then said, “It’s almost 5:00.” His voice oozed with self-deprecation as he continued, “and they’re already crying to come home.” 

“What happened?” She stood up so fast that she had to sit back down as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Glancing at the bedside table, she squinted at the bottle of Xanax and tried to figure out when the effects would be wearing off. Instead of feeling guilty that she had slept the entire day away, she felt relieved.

“I don’t know. They were fine at my sister’s…and then we came back and all hell broke loose. Well I mean…not literally. But they’re crying for you…and I’m lost here.” He hated to admit that he needed her help. He was proud, but not stupid. Desperately, he added, “Do you think I should bring them back?”

Even in her foggy state, her first instinct was to scream, ‘YES.’ The darkness that took over each time she sent them away with David was consuming. Having them back for the night would help her, but it wouldn’t help them. Not in the long run. Fighting down the urge to be selfish, she stood up again and replied, “I’ll just come there and see what’s going on.”

Startled by her response, he went quiet and she had to ask if he was still there. “I’m here…” He told her. “I figured that you’d want them at home.”

Slowly, Gillian gathered some clothes to change into. “I do…but they need to get used to this…” She had to clear her throat to keep her voice from breaking. “Splitting holidays and all…” 

“I’ll send a car for you,” he offered.

“That’s okay, I can take a cab.”

David laughed. “Gillian, it’s snowing. I’ll send the car,” he insisted. 

Though he knew she couldn’t see it, her face scrunched up in confusion anyway, “It is?” She pulled open her bedroom curtains and peered into the street lights. Her brain had trouble getting used to the idea that it was almost dark out. “Was it supposed to snow?”

“Beats me, you know the news never gets it right.”

“Cabs run in the snow, you know,” came her dry response. The weather made her think twice about her choice of footwear, so she went into her walk-in closet to find a pair of boots.

“It’s Christmas Eve and my shitty parenting skills are forcing you to come across town to save my ass. The least I can do is get you here.”

Gillian’s eyes rolled at his somber mood. “You aren’t a shitty parent.”

His monosyllabic response came quick. “I can feel your eyes rolling.”

Giving in, she let out a soft chuckle. “Okay, I’ll be ready soon.” 

“Thank god.” 

“It better be a nice car,” she teased. 

“Only the best for you.”   
__________

“Here, these will probably swim on you, but I don’t have anything smaller,” said David, as he nudged his folded clothes into her hands. “I think you actually have some dough in your hair…” He wiped at her hair and then showed her his finger. “Saving some for Santa?”

“Maybe,” she teased. Her twinkling eyes met his and they shared a silent joke before she looked away. “I better go get cleaned up.”

“Yeah…and I’ll work on this…” He pointed to the destroyed kitchen and laughed. With Gillian there, and the cookies made, Max and Addie were finally happy. Even though he had a few hours of cleaning ahead of him, the fact that they were happy, made David happy.

When Gillian came back into the room, he was busy loading the dishwasher. He didn’t hear her approach, but her comment got his attention, “Pumpkin? Really?”

He turned around and smirked at her appearance. His orange t-shirt, that had the word Pumpkin written across it, dwarfed her small frame. The band of his grey sweatpants was wrapped around her waist several times, and still hung off of her tiny frame. “I have a thing for squash.”

Jokingly, her hands went to her hips. “You probably had a thing for the girl who sells these shirts.”

Enjoying their banter, he waggled an eyebrow and pretended to be deep in thought. “Now that you mention it…she did give me her number.”

“Well, I hope this shirt fits her better…”

“Hey, beggars can’t be choosers.”

Gillian snorted and started to clean up. His clothes were soft and smelled like him. She didn’t mind wearing them, but she wasn’t going to let him know that. The pair worked in tandem to get the kitchen in order until West came in and distracted them.

“The Grinch is on next, will you watch it with us?” The pre-teen spoke only to Gillian, which made David smirk.

“What, I’m chop liver because she’s here?”

The girl smiled and volleyed back, “I guess you can come too.”

With a whimper, he clutched his heart. “I get nothing but abuse around here.”

Both Gillian and West ignored his playful antics. “I can watch in a little bit, I want to finish cleaning up.” 

“Commmmme onnnnnn, Gigi. Please,” whined West. She grabbed Gillian’s hand and pulled her. “It’s starting soon.”

Staring down at the girl who clearly longed for motherly attention, Gillian found it impossible to say no. “I guess the kitchen can wait…” Her eyes quickly found David, who silently agreed.

Eagerly, he tossed the sponge into the sink and grabbed a plate of cookies. “Alright then, let’s Grinch it up.”

West, who was still holding Gillian’s hand, pulled her out of the room with her father in tow. “Dad, those are for Santa.” Her belief had faded a year or so ago, but she was happy to play along for her younger siblings.

“Trust me, he doesn’t need them.”  
__________

After the Grinch, they watched Rudolph, and by the time the credits rolled, all three kids were passed out on the floor. Their parents sat watching the next movie for a long time. It was David who acknowledged that they were essentially alone.

“How the hell did we manage this? Last Christmas Eve, I had to bribe West to go to bed.”

“Max and Addie will wear anyone out.”

David studied his youngest children in fascination. Addie was clutching her prized stuffed bear and Max had his hand on her arm. They were completely different, in almost every way, and yet, their bond was unbreakable. He was marveled by it. “Will they be alright?”

“They’ll be too excited in the morning to get upset.”

“No…I mean, you know…”

He had trouble finishing his sentence. When she looked at him, she knew instantly what he meant. “In life, you mean.”

David nodded, and then sighed. Getting into another fight with her was not what he wanted, so he picked his words carefully. “What if they don’t ever adjust to having me around? As their dad, I mean.”

Knowing that he had probably worried over that thought for a long time made her instantly sad. “They’re adjusting fine.” The twins had a blanket around them, but West didn’t, so Gillian stood up so that she could drape one around her. David watched her movements while he contemplated her words. “Holidays are going to be more of an adjustment than usual, that’s all.”

“What about West?” came his quiet question once she sat back down beside him. So much of his time was spent worrying about the twins that he didn’t worry as much about West. He immediately felt guilty about it. Confused, she frowned, and he added, “Because she doesn’t have Tea around as much…”

Gillian thought about his words. Biting her bottom lip, she looked towards his daughter with a soft smile across her lips. “She’ll be okay. She’s got you.” She understood how he felt. She had often had the same fears about Piper. 

David blushed at her compliment. “She has you, too.” 

Tilting her head down, she blinked heavily. The bond between her and his daughter was an unexpected outcome of the complicated situation. “I think we’re all gonna be okay...eventually.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. 

Reaching across the couch, he brushed his hand against her thigh and grabbed her hand. “You should stay here tonight. It’s late...and the roads are probably a mess.” 

“But, you don’t spend the night with every woman that you fuck…” She reminded him, her eyes glistening with mischief.

“Who said anything about fucking?” He teased. She shot him a disbelieving look and he squeezed her hand. “Spend the night. It’s Christmas.” 

She pretended to think about it. In reality, her mind was already made up. She couldn’t imagine going back to her empty apartment now. “Okay, I’ll stay.”

His smile lit up his entire face. “Good.” Keeping his hand over hers, he moved closer to her and then fiddled with the remote with his other hand. “Let’s see what other movies we can find.” It wasn’t long before her head was resting on his chest and his chin was leaning in her hair. “Merry Christmas,” he mumbled against her head. 

He couldn’t see it, but she smiled. “Merry Christmas.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so very sorry that it's taken me so long to update this fic. I've grown pretty disillusioned with a lot of things in this fandom and it grew really, really, hard for me to write. That being said, I should have never left this fic unfinished. I HATE doing that and it's been eating away at me ever since. 
> 
> Thank you for all of your encouragement and kind reviews. I am constantly amazed at how many of you read and enjoy this fic and it's because of you all that I'm updating! 
> 
> A special thanks goes out to 
> 
> MSRAddicted1993 and WordsSpillFromMyOpenVeins_89. Your reviews really got to me and gave me the motivation to continue you this for you guys, so thank you so much. I appreciate it and hope that the next chapter or so doesn't disappoint. 
> 
> This is an early Christmas present. It's not the end. It can't be wrapped up in one chapter. I'm thinking there are still a few chapters left and I will update when I can. This is a shorter chapter (short for me!) but it's necessary. As you'll see....this sets up some new/old people who will come into play. ;)

The private school halls were desolate. The winter semester hadn’t officially started yet and aside from necessary staff, the school campus was like a ghost town. In the administration office, at a long table, Gillian filled out what seemed like an endless pile of paperwork.

Piper sat beside her, doodling on a sketch pad. When she grew bored, she looked up at her mother with a scowl. “This place sucks. It smells like moth balls.”

Paranoid that someone could be listening, Gillian glanced around. “Shhh!” 

“Mom!” Dropping her voice to a low, but audible whisper, Piper continued to voice her distaste, “Look at this upper school uniform! It’s awful!” She slid the colorful pamphlet towards her mother and then crossed her arms. “You never said anything about a uniform.”

“It’s hard to get into a school mid-year. This is the best I can do for now.” 

“You just want me to go here because the twins go here!”

Gillian rubbed her temples. “No. You were able to get in here because they go here.” Piper had only been in the city for two days and already mother and daughter were butting heads. “If you don’t like it, we’ll get you in somewhere else for next year.”

“I already don’t like it.”

Again, Gillian ignored her. Having Piper in New York full time was going to be a big adjustment. She couldn’t deal with a freak-out about the school on top of that.

“Mom?”

“Piper…please…I just have to get this done…”

“Um, isn’t that David’s wife?”

Gillian’s eyes snapped up instantly. “What?” She followed Piper’s gaze to the glass doors. Recognizing the tall woman, she let out an audible groan. “What the hell is she doing here?” Tea was talking with the same admissions director that Gillian had met with earlier. As if she knew she was being watched, Tea turned and met her eyes through the door. Gillian couldn’t look away fast enough. “She’s his ex-wife.” She corrected, because the insecure part of her mind revolted at the idea of him having a wife, again.

Seconds later, the doors opened and the admissions director was handing Tea paperwork to fill out and ushering her to their table. “Gillian, is that you? I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m signing Piper up for school.” Before she knew what was happening, Tea’s arms went around her and she lightly kissed both of her cheeks as if they were longtime friends. 

Tea unzipped her long winter coat and pulled her scarf from around her neck. “God it’s fucking boiling in here.” She then focused on the teenager. “This is Piper? Oh god. I feel so old.” With the papers in her hand, she skipped the empty chair beside Gillian and sat down beside her daughter instead. “You’re gorgeous. God, look at you. Every guy in this place will be chasing after you.”

Shy, but not uncomfortable, Piper looked down at her hands. With a curt smile, Gillian tilted her head. “Tea, what you doing here?”

“I’m signing Miller up. I want him and West in the same school. It’ll be good for them.” She motioned towards the door, where a lanky young boy stood playing with his IPod. “These IPods…I swear. It’s all he wants to do.”

Completely forgetting that Tea even had another child, Gillian looked at the boy in curiosity. Then, realizing what the woman had said, shot her a confused look. “You’re leaving LA?”

Tea’s brows furrowed in confusion. “He didn’t tell you?”

Assuming the ‘he’ she was talking about was David, Gillian shrugged, then cockily replied, “Apparently not…”

Tea chuckled. “Our show is moving to New York. You know…tax breaks and all that. Tim and I just bought a place on the Upper West Side. Miller will be able to see his sister so much more now. It’s great.”

Gillian had to try extremely hard to keep a smile on her face. Since their children were in the room, she forced herself to say,“That will be nice.” 

For a few minutes, the two women focused on filling out their respective paperwork. To their surprise, it was Piper who broke the silence. “I like your skull ring.” She eyed up the black ring that Tea had on her right hand. 

“You do?” Tea beamed. “You’re such a sweetheart.” She slipped it off her finger and handed it to her. “Here, it’ll look great with your nail polish. You keep it.” 

Gillian stopped what she was doing. Her eyes fixated on the ring. “Piper…”

Tea waved a dismissive hand. “It’s okay, really. I’ve got two more at home. I’ve got a thing for sculls.” 

Piper smiled as Tea shot her a conspiratory look. “Me too.” 

Unable to hide her annoyance, Gillian blew out a puff of air and tried to focus on the rest of the paperwork. 

***  
“So, when were you gonna tell me that Tea moved here?” Questioned Gillian. She fussed with the icing on the Dinosaur themed birthday cake and then pointed a blue finger at David. “And that her son would be going to school with the kids?” 

David had a similar size birthday cake in his hands, but his was covered in bright pink icing. His face was impassive as he shrugged. “Was I supposed to tell you?” 

The twins, along with West and Piper were in the next room, so she kept her voice low, even as her face twisted into incredulous lines. “Why wouldn’t you? I was blindsided when she walked in this morning.” 

David didn’t see the problem. “It’s just Tea. She’s harmless.” Thinking over his own words, he smirked and added, “Well, most of the time.” 

Gillian picked up the blue cake and walked towards him. “Just Tea? Are you fucking kidding me? She acted like we were best friends.” A disgusted sound came from the back of her throat as she continued, “she kissed me!”

At her words, David’s eyes lit up and he suddenly perked up. “Really?” Predictably, she rolled her eyes, but that didn’t stop him. “How was it? You know...I have to admit...the idea of you two kissing is kinda hot.” 

Her mouth fell open in faux outrage. “You’re disgusting.” 

“If this kissing thing is gonna keep happening then I definitely wanna be around for that,” he deadpanned. 

With her shoulder, she nudged him forward and whispered, “It’s Max and Addie’s birthday and all you can think about is sex.”

“Hey, you’re the one that brought it up.” Before she could push him again, he walked into the dining room and she followed close behind. 

“It’s about time,” Piper said. She and West were seated at one side of the table and the twins were on the other. Gillian’s dining room was filled with pink and blue balloons and streamers. The party wasn’t elaborate, but it was perfect for their patchwork family. 

After singing and cake cutting, the kids were allowed to have as much cake as they wanted, which made them all sugar high. It took forever to get Max and Addie ready for bed and even longer to actually get there. Once they were tucked into their beds, they were hell bent on prolonging the process as much as possible, even though they were practically delirious with exhaustion. 

David sat on the edge of Addie’s bed while Gillian sat on the edge of Max’s bed. In another life, it would be a normal family scene, but not in this one. It was rare that the twins got tucked in by both parents and they weren’t eager to let them leave the room so quickly.

“Tell us about the night we were born,” Addie insisted. She was on her side, with her arms wrapped around her stuffed bear.

“Uh…” David was glad for the darkened room as his face paled. Helplessly, he glanced towards Gillian.

Even as a familiar tension filled the space between them, she met his eyes shyly and rescued him. “Why don’t you tell us. You know the story.”

Addie wasn’t one to miss out on the opportunity to speak. “It was snowing and cold. And we came too soon because we were too excited to come out.” David sat quiet and mesmerized by the story. Gillian couldn’t keep her wary gaze off of him, but he didn’t notice. “And you were scared because we were so teeny tiny, but you were excited to meet us.” 

Gillian blinked away her tears as the intense memories washed over her. “Yes, I was.” 

“Were you excited to meet us too?” Max asked. 

It took David a few seconds to realize that his son was speaking to him. A familiar pang grew in his chest, reminding him of all that he had missed out on. “Of course I was.” He said, after clearing his throat. 

Addie put her hand on top of his. “Were you waiting for us, like mommy?” 

With a shaky sigh, he smiled to hide his suddenly somber mood. “I was waiting forever.” Gently, he tucked the covers around her petite frame and then kissed her across the forehead. 

Eager to rescue him again, Gillian said, “Okay, switch.” The avoided each other’s eyes as they practically stumbled over each other in the small room. They repeated the tucking in process and then finally left. 

Gillian was last to leave the room. When she shut the door, she nearly ran into David who hadn’t moved from the hallway. He was a hard man to read, but she could tell by the slump of his shoulders and the tightness in his jaw that he was upset. “I’m sorry…”

He shook his head. “I wish you’d stop saying that.” 

“It’s the truth.” 

Unable to look at her, he turned away. Sometimes he felt so much anger, bitterness, and pain, that it overwhelmed him. They stayed quiet for a long time, but then he turned towards her and stared her down. “I would have been there, you know.” His tone wasn’t angry, just, honest and insistent. Gillian swallowed hard, but had nothing to say to that. “No matter what, I would have been there.” 

“I know,” she whispered. 

“Do you?” he challenged, with furrowed brows.

His question surprised her and she didn’t have an answer ready. The obvious answer, would be a lie. If she knew...she would have told him she were pregnant. She would have told him when they were born. She would have told him, a lot of things. 

Her silence told him all that he needed to know. “You know, I’m trying to get over it. I really am, but it’s fucking hard.” 

A sad sigh left her lips. Would things ever get easier? Would they ever move past her betrayal? Could they? “I know you are.” Feeling suddenly courageous, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She was only slightly surprised when he squeezed hers back.


End file.
